PAPERS  OF  ZEBULON  M.  PIKE, 

1806-1807. 


CONTRIBUTED  BY 
HERBERT  E.  BOLTON 


REPRINTED   FROM   THE 


VOL.  XIIL,  NO.  4 


JULY,  1908 


[Reprinted  from  THE  AMERICAN  HISTORICAL  REVIEW,  Vol.  XIII.,  No.  4,  July,  1908.] 


DOCUMENTS 

Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike,  1806-1807. 

THE  accompanying  papers  are  some  of  those  taken  in  1807  from 
Lieutenant  Zebulon  M.  Pike  by  the  Spanish  authorities  at  Chihuahua 
while  Pike,  who  had  been  arrested  during  his  exploring  expedition 
up  the  Missouri  and  Arkansas  rivers,  was  in  captivity  in  that  city. 
The  originals  are  preserved  at  the  City  of  Mexico  in  the  archive  of 
the  Secretariat  of  Foreign  Relations.  They  are  filed  in  caxa  1817- 
1824  of  "  Asuntos  Internacionales  "  in  a  bundle  marked  "  Bounda- 
ries. Concerning  the  search  for,  and  delivery  to  the  boundary  Com- 
mission of,  the  documents  which  were  taken  from  the  traveller 
Paike."1  This  bundle,  in  turn,  is  enclosed  within  the  carpeta  of  an 
expediente  marked  "  1824.  The  United  States.  Treaties.  Con- 
cerning the  fixing  of  the  boundaries  between  Mexico  and  the  United 
States  in  conformity  with  the  third  article  of  the  treaties  of  Wash- 
ington dated  February  22,  1819." 2 

From  the  correspondence  filed  with  his  papers  we  learn  that 
when  Pike  was  taken  before  Don  Nemecio  Salcedo,  commandant- 
general  of  the  Internal  Provinces,  the  small  chest  in  which  he  car- 
ried his  papers  was  opened  and  all  of  those  which  related  to  his 
expedition  were  confiscated,  a  list  of  the  documents  being  made  and 
the  documents  themselves  numbered  to  correspond  with  it.3  We 
learn  also  the  circumstances  under  which  the  papers  found  their  way 
to  Mexico.  These  were  as  follows:  On  September  21,  1827,  Don 
Miguel  Ramos  Arispe,  Minister  of  the  Department  of  Justice  of 
the  federal  government,  and  president  of  the  commission  appointed 
to  determine  the  boundary  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico, 
wrote  to  the  Minister  of  Relations  that  he  thought  it  probable  that 
the  papers  taken  from  "  the  traveller  Paike  "  might  be  at  Chihuahua 
in  the  archive  of  the  old  commandancy-general,  and  asked  that  they 
be  searched  for,  and,  if  found,  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  boundary 

1 "  Limites.  Sobre  busca  y  entrega  a  la  Comision  de  limites  de  los  docu- 
mentos  q.  se  tomaron  al  viagero  Paike." 

2  "1824.      Estados  Unidos.      Tratados.      Sobre  que  se  fijen  los  limites  entre 
Mexico  y  los  Estados  Unidos  con  arreglo  al  Articulo  3°  de  los  tratados  de  Wash- 
ington  de   Febrero   de    1819." 

3  See  the  affidavit  of  Francisco  Velasco  and  Juan  Pedro  Walker  to  the  list, 
given  below,  page  810. 

(798) 


799  Documents 

commission.4  The  request  was  at  once  referred  to  Simon  Elias, 
governor  of  Chihuahua,5  and  by  him,  in  turn,  to  Jose  de  Zuloaga, 
comisario  of  that  state,  and  custodian  of  the  archive  of  the  com- 
mandancy-general.6  After  some  delay  the  papers  were  found  in  the 
archive  designated,  and,  on  October  20,  they  were  transmitted  by 
Zuloaga  to  the  governor,7  who,  three  days  later,  despatched  them 
to  Mexico,  together  with  the  original  list  made  when  the  papers  had 
been  confiscated.8  On  November  21  a  receipt  for  all  of  the  papers 
was  signed  by  the  Minister  of  Relations.9  A  copy  of  the  list  was 
at  once  made,  and  the  original  list  returned  to  Chihuahua.  On  the 
same  day,  November  21,  the  papers  were  sent  to  Arispe,10  who 
returned  them,  in  their  entirety,  clearly,  on  January  24,  I828.11 

The  list  of  papers  confiscated,  which  is  printed  below,  is  identical 
with  that  which  Pike  printed  in  his  classical  narrative.12  Of  the 
twenty-one  pieces  named  in  the  list,  the  first  eighteen,  still  bearing 
the  numbers  given  them  in  1807,  were  found  in  the  bundle  cited 
above.  No.  21  was  found  in  another  part  of  the  same  archive,  and 
has  been  placed  with  the  others.  Where  nos.  19  and  20  are — the 
most  important  of  all,  evidently — there  is  nothing  to  show,  but  it 
is  not  improbable  that  some  day  they  may  be  found  in  another  ar- 
chive, or,  possibly,  in  private  hands.  No.  21  is  a  valuable  docu- 
ment, but  its  form  renders  it  unsuitable  for  printing  here.  One  of 
its  titles — it  has  one  at  each  end — is  "  Book,  Containing  Meteoro- 
logical Observations,  Courses  and  Chart  of  part  of  the  Mississippi, 
Missouri  and  Osage  Rivers,  with  the  route  by  land  from  the  Osage 
Nation,  taken  by  Lt.  Z.  M.  Pike  in  the  years  1805  and  06,  being 
part  of  a  compleate  survey  which  he  made  of  the  Mississippi  river 
from  St.  Louis  Louisiana  to  its  Source."  The  other  title  is  "  Book, 
Containing  Traverse  Table  and  Chart  of  part  of  the  Mississippi, 
Missouri  and  Osage  Rivers,  with  the  route  by  Land  from  the  Osage 
Towns,  taken  by  Lieut  Z.  M.  Pike  in  the  year  1805  and  06,  being 
part  of  a  Compleate  Survey  which  he  made  of  the  Mississippi  River 

4  Arispe  to  the  Minister  of  Relations,  September  21,  1827. 

5  Minister  of   Relations  to  the  governor  of   Chihuahua,   September  22,    1827. 
Minute. 

6  Governor  Simon  Elias  to  the  Minister  of  Relations,  October  8,  1827. 

7  Zuloaga  to  Governor  Elias,  October  20,  1827. 

8  Elias  to  the  Minister  of  Relations,  October  23,  1827. 

9  Minute  of  this  date. 

10  The  Minister  of  Relations  to  Arispe,  November  21. 

11  Arispe  to  the  Minister  of  Relations,  January  24,   1828. 

12  An  Account  of  Expeditions  to  the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and  through 
the  Western  Parts  of  Louisiana   (Philadelphia,   1810),  appendix  to  part  in.,  pp. 
80-82. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  800 

from  St.  Louis  to  its  Source."     The  contents  of  this  book  may  be 
summarized  as  follows : 

1.  Eleven  quarto  pages  of  meteorological  observations  covering 
the  period  from  August,  1805,  to  March  2,  1807,  the  date  of  Pike's 
arrival  at  Santa  Fe.     From  these  tables  we  learn  that  in  October, 
1805,  Pike  was  on  the  "  Mississippi  above  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  ". 
On  August  20,   1806,  he  was  "  Between  the  Osage  Towns  ",  on 
September  27,  at  the  "  Panis  Republic  ",  and  on  November  30,  at 
the  "  Foot  of  the  Mexican  Mountains  ". 

2.  Twenty-eight  pages  of  traverse  tables,   covering  the  period 
stated  above.     In  these  tables  there  are  separate  columns  for  date, 
course,  distance,  shores,  rivers,  islands,  rapids,  and  for  remarks  on 
mines,  quarries,  timber,  bars,  creeks,  shoals,  etc. 

3.  Twenty-five  section  maps,  covering  fifteen  pages,  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  above  St.  Louis,  and  about  an  equal  number,  covering 
thirty-two  pages,  of  Pike's  route  from  St.  Louis  to  Santa  Fe.     The 
first  set  is  in  ink,  with  the  addition  of  colors,  the  second  in  black  ink 
only.     They  are  executed  with  considerable  care,  and  are  well  pre- 
served.    They  contain,  besides  information  concerning  Pike's  route, 
valuable  data  in  regard  to  geographical  names  and  to  settlements 
of  both  whites  and  Indians.     Whoever  undertakes  a  new  edition  of 
Pike's  narrative  will  probably  wish  to  incorporate  reproductions  of 
all  the  maps  in  this  book. 

Some  of  the  papers  bear  numbers  other  than  those  given  them 
by  the  authorities  at  Chihuahua  to  correspond  with  the  list.  These 
numbers  may  be  Pike's  or  those  of  some  archive  series. 

HERBERT  E.  BOLTON. 

THREE  of  the  papers  discovered  by  Professor  Bolton  were 
printed  by  Pike  from  other  copies.  No.  I,  General  Wilkinson's 
instructions  of  June  24,  1806  (supplemented  by  additional  instruc- 
tions of  July  12),  appeared  in  Pike's  book,  An  Account,  etc.,  pp.  107— 
109  (Coues,  p.  562),  and  is  also  printed  in  American  State  Papers, 
Miscellaneous,  I.  564  and  943.  Nevertheless,  it  is  here  printed 
again,  from  the  manuscript  found  in  Mexico,  for  convenience  of 
reference  in  connection  with  the  other  documents  here  presented. 
No.  4,  Wilkinson  to  Pike,  August  6,  1806,  warning  him  of  Manuel 
de  Lisa's  commercial  projects,  and  telling  him  how  to  correct  his 
watch  by  the  quadrant,  is  in  the  appendix  to  part  u.  of  Pike,  pp. 
38-40  (Coues,  pp.  573-576).  No.  7,  Pike  to  General  Wilkinson, 
July  22,  1806,  telling  him  of  the  first  days'  events  of  the  expedition, 
and  discussing  what  he  should  do  if  he  found  himself  near  the 


8oi  Documents 

Spaniards  of  Santa  Fe,  is  in  the  same  appendix,  pp.  33—35  (Coues, 
pp.  568—572).  It  has  not  been  thought  needful  to  repeat  nos.  4 
and  7.  No.  12  is  a  very  rough  pencilled  sketch,  extending  to  the 
Grand  Osage  and  Little  Osage  villages.  It  is  quite  superseded  by 
the  finished  chart  which  Pike  inserted  in  his  book.  No.  18  is  still 
rougher,  though  in  ink,  and  is  drawn  on  a  still  smaller  scale,  so  that 
though  it  extends  to  Santa  Fe,  no  useful  conclusions  can  be  drawn 
from  it. 

The  chronological  order  of  the  papers  herein  printed  is :  Nos.  9, 
i,  10,  17,  2,  3,  14,  15,  1 6,  13,  8,  5,  6,  18,  ii. 

Interesting  as  the  newly  discovered  papers  are  to  the  student  of 
Pike's  expedition  and  of  the  history  of  Western  exploration,  it  is 
natural  to  feel  at  first  sight  some  disappointment  that  they  advance 
so  little  toward  its  solution  the  problem  of  the  real  destination  of 
Pike.  Did  Wilkinson  send  him  out  with  the  definite  intention  that 
he  should  stray  into  Spanish  territory,  should  be  seized  by  the 
Spanish  authorities,  should  see  all  that  he  could  of  their  provinces, 
and  report  his  observations  of  those  forbidden  lands  to  his  com- 
manding officer,  as  an  aid  to  the  ulterior  designs  of  that  commander 
or  of  the  government  of  the  United  States?  It  was  not  to  be 
expected  that,  if  such  were  Wilkinson's  plans,  he  should  leave  docu- 
mentary evidences  of  them  in  his  agent's  possession,  to  be  captured 
with  him.  Nevertheless  it  is  impossible  to  resist  the  temptation, 
to  profit  by  the  occasion  of  the  discovery  of  these  papers  to  review 
once  more  the  evidences  of  indirection,  or  at  any  rate  to  bring  for- 
ward such  new  evidences  regarding  the  government's  supposed  com- 
plicity as  may  be  found  in  the  archives  of  Washington  despite  the 
enthusiastic  researches  of  Coues. 

The  chief  reasons  which  have  been  advanced  for  suspecting 
Wilkinson  and  Pike  of  duplicity  in  connection  with  the  expedition 
are  the  following :  The  relations  of  the  United  States  to  Spain  were 
strained;  it  is  apparent  from  Wilkinson's  letter  of  November  26, 
1805  (Coues,  p.  564,  note),  that  he  deemed  war  probable,  and  in 
case  of  war  looked  forward  to  a  campaign  against  New  Mexico. 
In  the  second  place,  we  have  the  affidavit  of  Judge  Timothy  Kibby 
of  the  district  of  St.  Charles  in  Upper  Louisiana,  sworn  to  by  him 
July  6,  1807,  in  which  he  says  :13 

13  This  affidavit  went  the  rounds  of  the  newspapers  of  the  time  (Colonel 
Meline  quotes  a  part  of  it  from  the  Mississippi  Herald  of  September  15,  1807), 
and  was  several  times  mentioned  in  Burr's  trial  as  a  well-known  document.  On 
that  occasion  Wilkinson  characterized  it  as  "  replete  with  falsehoods  "  ;  American 
State  Papers,  Miscellaneous,  I.  548.  Dr.  Isaac  J.  Cox  of  the  University  of 
Cincinnati  has  found  an  original  copy  of  Kibby's  affidavit  in  the  collections  of  the 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  802 

I  also  had  a  conversation  with  Genl.  Wilkinson  concerning  Lt. 
Pikes  Expedition  to  the  westward  which  was  nearly  as  follows.  a»  few 
Days  previous  to  the  departure  of  Lt.  Pike  I  asked  the  Genl  what  was 
the  object  of  the  expedition  and  where  Mr  Pike  was  going,  he  smiled 
and  said  it  was  of  a  secret  nature,  but  if  I  would  give  him  my  word 
and  honour  to  keep  it  a  secret,  he  would  give  me  some  information  on 
the  subject  which  he  had  done  only  to  one  person  in  the  Territory.  I 
assented  to  the  proposition  and  the  Genl.  observed  that  Lt.  Pike  was 
yet  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  his  journey,  that  his  object  [o  few  words 
or  a  line  omitted'}  that  his  rout  would  be  by  Land  from  the  Osage 
Towns  in  order  to  treat  with  several  Nations  of  Indians  by  which  he 
would  pass.  I  asked  the  Genl.  if  Mr.  Pike  was  sent  by  the  Government 
of  the  United  States,  he  replied  no  that  it  was  his  own  (the  Genl.) 
Plan  and  if  Mr.  Pike  suckseeded  he  the  Genl.  would  be  placed  out  of 
the  reach  of  his  enemies  and  that  in  the  course  of  eighteen  months  he 
would  be  in  a  situation  (if  the  plan  suckseeded)  to  call  his  Damnd  foes 
to  an  a/c  [account]  for  their  Deeds.  I  asked  the  Genl.  if  he  did  not 
apprehend  danger  from  the  Spaniards,  knowing  their  jealous  disposi- 
tion, on  Mr.  Pikes  account  with  a  party  of  American  Soldiers  at  Santa 
fee.  he  answered  that  Mr.  Pike  and  his  party  would  have  documents 
to  shew  which  would  make  them  as  safe  as  at  Philadelphia. 

Thirdly,  Pike  in  his  letter  of  July  22  (Account,  app.  to  part  n., 
p.  35;  Coues,  p.  572),  discusses  with  some  freedom  the  chance  of 
his  meeting  the  Spaniards,  and  admits  the  possibility  of  his  being 
taken  into  Santa  Fe  as  a  prisoner  of  war ;  and  in  his  letter  of  Octo- 
ber 2  (Coues,  p.  588),  he  discusses  with  similar  freedom  the  mili- 
tary approaches  to  New  Mexico.  Fourthly,  even  though  he  mis- 
took the  upper  waters  of  the  Rio  Grande  for  those  of  the  Red 
River,  as  he  maintained  that  he  did,  the  stockade  which  the  Span- 
iards found  him  occupying  was  on  the  west  or  Spanish  side  of  the 
river.  Fifthly,  it  is  unlikely  that  Dr.  Robinson  would  have  been 
allowed  so  quietly  to  leave  the  stockade  and  set  out  for  Santa  Fe 
alone,  if  so  little  were  known  of  the  party's  position  with  respect 
to  that  town;  and  the  claims  which  he  went  ostensibly  to  prosecute 
are  admitted  by  Pike  to  have  been  "  in  some  degree  spurious  in  his 
hands  ".  Why  had  they  been  brought  all  the  way  from  St.  Louis 

Historical  and  Philosophical  Society  of  Ohio,  Gano  Papers,  III.  49,  and,  with 
Miss  L.  Belle  Hamlin,  librarian  of  the  society,  has  kindly  supplied  the  transcript 
from  which  the  above  extract  is  taken. 

They  have  also  called  my  attention  to  the  statement  of  Joseph  H.  Daveiss, 
in  his  View  of  the  President's  Conduct  (Frankfort,  Ky.,  1807),  p.  21.  In  St. 
Louis,  in  May,  1806,  he  says,  he  and  Wilkinson  were  talking  of  Pike's  exploring 
expedition  up  the  Mississippi.  "  After  which,  he  [Wilkinson]  took  out  a  map  of 
the  country  of  New  Mexico,  which  I  think  was  in  manuscript ;  and  after  some 
conversation  about  it,  tapping  it  with  his  finger,  told  me  in  a  low  and  very 
significant  tone  and  manner,  that  had  Burr  been  president,  we  would  have  had 
all  this  country  before  now."  Similar  intimations  are  to  be  found  in  Major 
Bruff's  testimony  in  Burr's  trial ;  American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous,  I. 
573,  575- 


803  Documents 

if  there  were  not  from  the  first  a  thought  of  going  to  Santa  Fe? 
Sixthly,  there  is  Pike's  chicanery  about  his  baggage  and  papers, 
after  his  arrest.  Finally,  we  may  reasonably  pay  some  attention 
to  the  testimony  given  before  the  committee  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives by  Colonel  John  Ballenger,  brother  of  the  Sergeant 
Joseph  Ballenger  of  the  expedition  and  of  document  no.  13.  In  a 
conversation  between  the  two  brothers,  so  the  committee  report,14 

The  said  Joseph  informed  him  that  he  was  in  company  with  Captain 
Pike  in  his  last  exploring  tour;  that,  having  left  Captain  Pike  some- 
where on  the  head  waters  of  the  Arkansas,  he  returned  to  Louisiana; 
that  very  shortly  after  his  return,  he  went  into  the  Spanish  provinces; 
that  during  all  this  time  he  was  employed  in  furtherance  of  a  Spanish 
project,  but  did  not  intimate  that  Captain  Pike  had  any  knowledge,  or 
was  at  all  privy  to  the  said  project,  or  to  his  being  engaged  therein, 
and  spoke  in  high  terms  of  Captain  Pike.  The  nature  of  the  project 
in  which  the  said  Joseph  was  employed,  or  by  whom  he  was  employed, 
is  foreign,  (as  your  committee  believe),  from  the  subject  consigned  to 
them,  and,  of  course,  its  detail  is  omitted  in  this  report. 

In  the  debate  in  the  House,  Rowan  of  Kentucky  disclosed  more 
fully  the  nature  of  the  testimony,  which  was  to  the  effect  that  Ser- 
geant Ballenger,  a  friend  of  Burr,  had  engaged  two  or  three  Indian 
tribes  to  join  the  latter  in  his  famous  expedition.15 

On  the  other  hand,  before  looking  at  further  evidence,  we  may 
remember  that,  leaving  out  of  account  Wilkinson's  instructions, 
which  may  have  been  intended  to  be  captured,  his  letter  of  August 
6,  not  so  intended,  contains  nothing  to  warrant  the  suspicion;  and 
in  Pike's  letter  of  October  24,  sent  down  the  Arkansas  by  the  hand 
of  Lieutenant  Wilkinson,16  he  speaks  simply  of  pressing  forward 
to  the  head  of  the  Red  River,  "  where  we  shall  be  detained  some 
time,  after  which  nothing  shall  cause  a  halt  until  my  arrival  at 
Natchitoches  ". 

What  grounds  for  suspicion  the  Spaniards  perceived  is  made 
plain  by  a  variety  of  letters.  Governor  Alencaster  of  New  Mexico, 
in  his  report  of  April  i,  1807,  to  Don  Nemesio  Salcedo,  commandant- 
general  of  the  Internal  Provinces,17  contents  himself  with  declaring 
his  conviction  that  the  Americans  intend,  "  this  year  or  the  next,  to 
establish  forts  or  settlements  on  all  these  rivers  [the  Canadian  and 
the  other  affluents  of  the  Mississippi],  in  order  to  monopolize  all 
the  trade"  with  the  Indians.  But  in  a  letter  of  April  15,  of  which 

14  American    State   Papers,    Miscellaneous,    I.    719;    Annals    of    Congress,    10 
Cong.,  i  sess.,  1767. 

15  Annals,  ibid.,  1659. 

19  Pike,  app.  to  part  n.,  pp.  39,  51  ;  Coues,  pp.  575,  592. 

17  In  Colonel  James  F.  Meline's  Two  Thousand  Miles  on  Horseback  (New 
York,  1867),  pp.  241-245. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  804 

Professor  Bolton  has  lately  found  a  copy  in  the  City  of  Mexico,18 
Alencaster,  after  reporting  his  expectation  of  an  American  search- 
party  looking  for  Pike,  and  his  preparations  to  meet  it,  proceeds  to 
tell  of  suspicious  facts  which  he  has  learned  from  "  an  Anglo- 
American  soldier,  who  is  sick  ",  i.  e.,  one  of  the  privates  whose  feet 
and  hands  had  been  frozen  in  the  Sangre  de  Cristo  Mountains,  and 
who  had  remained  at  Santa  Fe  while  Pike  and  others  were  taken 
on  to  Chihuahua.  When  this  American,  says  Alencaster,  learned  of 
the  sending  out  of  these  reconnoitring  parties,  he  told  the  interpreter 
that  when  the  Pike  expedition  set  out  from  St.  Louis  Wilkinson 
told  Pike  "  that  if  Christmas  Eve  should  pass  without  his  return, 
he  should  consider  him  a  prisoner  of  the  Spaniards,  and  should  send 
to  look  for  him.  That  he  should  not  be  concerned  although  he 
might  be  a  prisoner  for  three  months.  That  such  were  Paike's 
orders,  and  that  he  heard  him  speak  of  this  at  different  times  with 
Rovinson,  and  that  the  parties  which  would  be  sent  out  to  look  for 
him  would  be  four,  of  three  or  four  thousand  men  each."  19  Alen- 
caster had  the  American  brought  to  his  presence  to  verify  this 
statement. 

In  "  Spanish  Notes,  vol.  II.",  in  the  Bureau  of  Indexes  and 
Archives,  Department  of  State,  are  several  letters  to  Secretary 
Madison  from  Don  Valentin  de  Foronda,  Spanish  charge  d'affaires, 
in  which  the  Spanish  suspicions  are  fully  expressed.  In  a  letter 
of  August  22  he  says, 

It  is  true  the  officer  declared  that  he  had  lost  his  way.  This  might 
be  true,  but  it  might  equally  well  be  a  pretext.  The  probability  is 
against  it.  You  know,  sir,  that  if  such  excuses  were  to  suffice,  never 
would  a  spy  be  condemned.  You  should  know,  sir,  that  Pike  contra- 
dicted himself  in  his  declaration :  since  first  he  said  that  Doctor  Robinson 
•did  not  belong  to  his  party,  and  afterward  he  declared  that  he  did. 
The  suspicions  against  this  officer  were  increased  by  finding  in  a  torn 
paper  a  small  sketch  of  the  regions  between  the  Missouri  and  Santa 
Fe,  with  information  acquired  in  the  said  town  concerning  its  popula- 
tion, commerce,  etc. 

He  also  comments  on  the  fraudulent  character  of  Dr.  Robinson's 
agency  as  a  collector  of  debts.  In  a  later  note,  March  22,  1808, 
he  dilates,  in  terms  that  recall  the  suspicions  of  Sergeant  Buzfuz 
respecting  "  chops  and  tomato  sauce  ",  on  the  fact 

That  in  one  of  the  documents  found  upon  Pike  [no.  i],  there  is  talk 
of  Jupiter,  of  telescopes,  of  sextants,  etc. ;  that  in  another  [no.  4]  there 
is  renewed  mention  of  the  said  planet  and  of  its  satellites,  and  that 

18  In  Secretaria  de  Guerra,  Archive  General,  Seccion  Varies  Asuntos,  leg. 
1787-1806,  ff.  158-160. 

"The  whole  army  of  the  United  States  then  consisted  of  3200  men;  Pri- 
vate Dougherty  was  thawing  out. 


805  Documents 

there  is  repeated  mention  of  Miranda;  all  which  causes  me  to  believe 
that  it  is  a  cipher,  and  that  the  apprehensions  of  Don  Nemesio  Salcedo 
were  justly  aroused  by  the  astronomy  which  Wilkinson  displays  in 
his  instructions  to  Pike,  since  one  cannot  fail  to  have  this  dilemma: 
either  Pike  knows  how  to  make  astronomical  observations  or  he  does 
not:  if  he  does,  Wilkinson's  lesson  is  useless  to  him;  if  he  does  not, 
so  brief  an  instruction  could  do  him  no  good.20 

He  further  recounts,  from  a  declaration  made  by  one  of  the  sol- 
diers of  the  party,  that  when  some  of  them  "  asked  Pike  where  they 
were  going,  since  they  were  already  in  Spanish  territory,  he  replied 
that  they  should  go  ahead  ". 

But  it  is  time  to  turn  to  the  other  side,  and  to  seek  the  state- 
ments of  Jefferson  and  Dearborn.  We  have  seen  Judge  Kibby's 
report  of  Wilkinson's  statement,  that  the  plan  was  the  general's  own, 
not  emanating  from  the  government,  but  assented  to;  but  distrust 
of  Wilkinson's  statements  has  become  canonical.  Secretary  Dear- 
born, in  his  letter  to  Pike  of  February  24,  i8o8,21  declares  that, 

although  the  two  exploring  expeditions  you  have  performed  were  not 
previously  ordered  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  there  were 
frequent  communications  on  the  subject  of  each,  between  General 
Wilkinson  and  this  Department,  of  which  the  President  of  the  United 
States  was,  from  time  to  time,  acquainted. 

In  his  letter  of  December  7,  1808,  to  the  chairman  of  a  commit- 
tee of  the  House  of  Representatives,22  he  says, 

You  will  perceive  that  the  instructions  were  given  by  General 
Wilkinson;  the  object,  however,  of  each  party,  together  with  the  in- 
structions, were  communicated  to,  and  approved  by,  the  President  of 
the  United  States. 

t  Doubtless  more  value  should  be  attached  to  statements  of  the 
administration  not  intended  for  publication.  Jefferson  writes  to 
Madison,  May  24,  i8o8,23 

I  think  too  that  the  truth  as  to  Pike's  mission  might  be  so  simply 
stated  as  to  need  no  argument  to  shew  that  (even  during  the  suspen- 
Que  en  uno  de  los  documentos  que  se  encontraren  a  Pike,  se  habla  de 
Jupiter,  de  telescopies,  de  sextantes,  etc.:  que  en  otro  buelve  a  hablar  de  dho. 
Planeta  y  de  sus  satelites,  y  que  de  repetite  cae  sobre  Miranda;  lo  que  me  hace 
creer  que  es  una  cifra,  que  debia  haber  excitado  los  temores  de  DQ  Nemesio 
Salcedo  la  Astronomia  que  despliega  Wilkinson  en  sus  instrucciones  a  Pike;  pues 
no  podia  menos  de  hacer  este  dilema :  6  Pike  sabe  hacer  observaciones  astro- 
nomicas  6  no :  si  sabe,  no  le  es  util  la  leccion  de  Wilkinson;  sino,  de  nada  le 
servia  una  instruccion  tan  somera." 

21  Pike,  app.  to  part  in.,  p.  67  (Coues,  p.  844)  ;  American  States  Papers,  Miscel- 
laneous, I.  944. 

22  Ibid.,  p.  64  (p.  842);  I.  942. 

23  Madison   Papers,  Library  of  Congress.     Ford,  IX.   195.     A  previous  letter 
of  August  30,  1807  (ibid.,  24),  found  in  both  the  Jefferson  and  the  Madison  Papers, 
containing  statements  intended  to  be  sent  to   Foronda,  has  not  the  same   force. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  806 

sion  of  our  claims  to  the  Eastern  border  of  the  rio  Norte)  his  getting 
on  it  was  mere  error,  which  ought  to  have  called  for  the  setting  him 
right,  instead  of  forcing  him  through  the  interior  country. 

Fuller  private  statements  were  made  some  years  later,  upon 
occasion  of  the  posthumous  publication  of  the  last  volume  of  Alex- 
ander Wilson's  American  Ornithology.  That  volume  contained  a 
biographical  sketch  of  Wilson  by  George  Ord.  In  the  course  of 
it  Ord  printed  a  letter  of  Wilson  to  Jefferson,  February  6,  1806,  in 
which  the  ornithologist,  on  hearing  "  that  your  Excellency  had  it  in 
contemplation  to  send  travellers  this  ensuing  summer  up  the  Red 
River,  the  Arkansaw  and  other  tributary  streams  of  the  Missis- 
sippi ",  offered  his  services  as  a  man  of  science.  Ord  added  in  a 
foot-note,  "  Mr.  Wilson  was  particularly  anxious  to  accompany 
Pike  " ;  and  he  commented  with  much  asperity  on  Jefferson's  failure 
to  reply  to  Wilson's  application.24  Upon  seeing  this  statement,  in 
1818,  Jefferson  wrote  to  Wilkinson  the  following  significant  letter:25 

MONTICELLO  June  25.  18. 
Dear  General 

A  life  so  much  employed  in  public  as  yours  has  been,  must  subject 
you  often  to  be  appealed  to  for  facts  by  those  whom  they  concern — an 
occasion  occurs  to  myself  of  asking  this  kind  of  aid  from  your  memory 
and  documents.  The  posthumous  volume  of  Wilson's  Ornithology, 
altho'  published  some  time  since,  never  happened  to  be  seen  by  me  until 
a  few  days  ago.  in  the  account  of  his  life,  prefixed  to  that  volume  his 
biographer  indulges  himself  in  a  bitter  invective  against  me,  as  having 
refused  to  employ  Wilson  on  Pike's  expedition  to  the  Arkansa,  on  which 
particularly  he  wished  to  have  been  employed,  on  turning  to  my  papers 
I  have  not  a  scrip  of  a  pen  on  the  subject  of  that  expedition;  which  con- 
vinces me  that  it  was  not  one  of  those  which  emanated  from  myself: 
and  if  a  decaying  memory  does  not  decieve  me  I  think  that  it  was 
ordered  by  yourself  from  St.  Louis,  while  Governor  and  military  com- 
mander there;  that  it  was  an  expedition  for  reconnoitring  the  Indian 
and  Spanish  positions  which  might  be  within  striking  distance;  that  so 
far  from  being  an  expedition  admitting  a  leisurely  and  scientific  exami- 
nation of  the  natural  history  of  the  country,  it's  movements  were  to 
•be  on  the  alert,  and  too  rapid  to  be  accomodated  to  the  pursuits  of 
scientific  men;  that  if  previously  communicated  to  the  Executive,  it 
was  not  in  time  for  them,  from  so  great  a  distance,  to  have  joined 
scientific  men  to  it;  nor  is  it  probable  it  could  be  known  at  all  to  mr 
Wilson  and  to  have  excited  his  wishes  and  expectations  to  join  it.  if 
you  will  have  the  goodness  to  consult  your  memory  and  papers  on  this 
subject,  and  to  write  me  the  result  you  will  greatly  oblige  me.  .  .  . 

Wilkinson  replied  as  follows  :26 

August  4th.  1818 
Dear  Sir 

Residing  as  I  do  on  the  right  Bank  of  the  Mississippi  seven  leagues 

24  Wilson,  American  Ornithology,  vol.  IX.  (Philadelphia,  1814),  pp.  31,  32. 

25  Jefferson  Papers,  Library  of  Congress. 
28  Ibid. 


807  Documents 

below  N.  Orleans,  it  is  no  matter  of  surprize  that  your  letter,  of  the 
25th.  of  June,  was  not  received  before  the  ist.  Inst. 

I  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  merely  to  assure  you,  that 
I  shall  fulfil  your  desire  respecting  the  explorations  of  Capt.  Pike 
under  my  orders,  so  soon  as  indispensable  daily  labour  may  allow  me 
time,  to  scrutinize  my  voluminous  correspondence;  in  the  mean  time 
memory  authorizes  me  to  declare,  that,  under  a  verbal  permission  from 
you,  before  my  departure  from  the  seat  of  government  for  St.  Louis  in 
the  spring  of  1805,  generally  to  explore  the  borders  of  the  Territory  of 
Louisiana,  I  did  project  the  expeditions  of  Capt.  Z.  M.  Pike  to  the 
Head  of  the  Mississippi;  and  after  his  return  from  that  excursion,  to 
restore  to  their  nation  a  number  of  Osage  Indians,  who  had  been 
ransomed  under  my  authority,  from  the  hostile  Tribes  by  whom  they 
had  been  captured;  to  make  peace  between  certain  Belligerous  nations, 
and  if  practicable  to  effect  an  interview  with  and  conciliate  the  powerful 
Bands  of  I,e,taus  or  Commanchees27  to  the  United  States.  He  was 
also  instructed  by  me,  to  ascertain  the  extent,  direction  and  navigable- 
ness of  the  Arkansa  and  Red  Rivers,  which  discharge  their  waters  into 
the  Mississippi. 

I  recollect  to  have  seen  Mr.  Wilson,  the  ornithologist,  at  Washing- 
ton in  the  autumn  1808,  and  at  Charleston  S.  C.  the  winter  following; 
I  admired  his  enterprize,  perseverance  and  capacity,  and  had  several 
conversations  with  Him  concerning  the  work  he  had  undertaken,  which 
I  was  desirous  to  promote »with  my  humble  means;  He  made  various 
enquiries  respecting  the  feathered  creation  of  this  region,  and  instructed 
me  how  to  preserve  in  dead  Birds  their  living  appearance;  But  I  do 
not  remember  that  Capt  Pike  or  his  expeditions  were  alluded  to,  and 
the  details  of  that  unfortunate  meritorius  young  soldiers  Western  Tour, 
published  by  Himself,  will  best  explain  its  utter  inaptitude  to  the  de- 
liberate investigations  of  the  naturalist.  .  .  . 

It  might  possibly  be  suspected  that  Jefferson's  letter  to  Wilkin- 
son was  an  adroit  manoeuvre  to  secure  exculpatory  evidence  from 
one  with  whom  manoeuvres  were  necessary,  and  that  anxiety  over 
Ord's  statement  was  but  a  pretext.  Any  such  suspicion,  however, 
is  dispelled  by  the  following  correspondence  with  General  Dear- 
born,28 the  first  letter  being  Jefferson's,  the  second  the  reply. 

MONTICELLO    Oct.    27.     l8. 

Dear  General 

I  never  saw  till  lately  the  IXth.  vol.  of  Wilson's  Ornithology,  to 
this  a  life  of  the  author  is  prefixed,  by  a  mr.  Ord,  in  which  he  has 
indulged  himself  in  great  personal  asperity  against  myself,  these  things 
in  common  I  disregard,  but  he  has  attached  his  libel  to  a  book  which  is 
to  go  into  all  countries  and  thro  all  time,  he  almost  makes  his  heroe 
die  of  chagrin  at  my  refusing  to  associate  him  with  Pike  in  his  expedi- 
tion to  the  Arkansa,  an  expedition  on  which  he  says  he  had  particu- 

27  The  Yuta   (Yutawats)   of  the  upper  Platte  and  Arkansas  rivers  were  vari- 
ously known  to  the  whites  as  Utah,  Utes,  latans  and  letans.     By  misreading  this 
last  often  becomes  Jetans,  letaus  and  Tetaus ;   the  name  was  loosely  applied  to 
various  tribes,  among  others  to  the  Comanches. 

28  Jefferson  Papers,  Library  of  Congress. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  808 

larly  set  his  heart,  now  I  wish  the  aid  of  your  memory,  as  to  the 
main  fact  on  which  the  libel  is  bottomed,  to  wit,  that  Wilson  wished 
to  be  of  that  expedition  with  Pike  particularly,  and  that  I  refused  it. 
if  my  memory  is  right,  that  was  a  military  expedition,  set  on  foot  by 
General  Wilkinson,  on  his  arrival  at  St.  Louis  as  Governor  and  Com- 
manding officer,  to  reconnoitre  the  country,  and  to  know  the  positions 
of  his  enemies,  Spanish  and  Indian:  that  it  was  set  on  foot  of  his 
own  authority,  without  our  knolege  or  consultation;  and  that  being 
unknown  to  us  until  it  had  departed,  it  was  less  likely  to  be  known  to 
Wilson,  and  to  be  a  thing  on  which  he  could  have  set  his  heart.  I 
have  not  among  my  papers  a  scrip  of  a  pen  on  the  subject;  which  is 
a  proof  I  took  no  part  in  it's  direction,  had  I  directed  it  the  instructions 
etc.  would  have  been  in  my  hand  writing,  and  copies  in  my  possession, 
the  truth  is  this,  I  believe,  after  the  exploration  of  the  Mississippi  by 
Lewis  and  Clarke  and  of  the  Washita,  by  Dunbar,  we  sent  Freeman 
up  the  Red  river;  and  on  his  return  we  meant  to  have  sent  an  exploring 
party  up  the  Arkansa,vand  it  was  my  intention  that  Wilson  should  have 
accompanied  that  party,  but  Freeman's  journey  being  stopped  by  the 
Spanish  authorities,  we  suspended  the  mission  up  the  Arkansa  to  avoid 
collision  with  them,  will  you  be  so  good  as  to  lay  your  memory  and 
your  papers  under  contribution  to  set  me  right  in  all  this? 

BOSTON  Novemr.  6th.  1818 — 
Dear  Sir, 

On  the  4th.  inst.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  your  letter  of  the 
29th.29  of  October.  Pikes  expedition  for  exploring  the  Arkansa  etc., 
was  planed  and  directed  entirely  by  Genl.  Wilkinson,  while  he  was 
governor  and  Military  commander  of  upper  Louisiana.  You  had  pre- 
viously contemplated  the  sending  an  exploring  party  on  that  river 
but  the  fate  of  the  party  sent  up  the  red  river  induced  a  suspension  of 
the  expedition  on  the  Arkansa  until  some  explanation  could  be  had  with 
the  Spanish  authorities  in  relation  to  the  interruption  of  the  party  on 
the  red  river,  and  in  the  meantime  Genl.  Wilkinson  sent  off  the  expe- 
dition under  Pike.  I  recollect  that  you  proposed  a  Mr.  Wilson  to  be 
joined  to  the  party  that  was  intended  for  the  Arkansa,  and  that  I  sug- 
gested a  doubt  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  our  funds  for  imploying  any  one 
in  addition  to  the  number  previously  proposed,  but  you  thought,  that, 
although  our  means  were  small,  we  might  venture  to  employ  Wilson 
on  moderate  terms,  and  if  the  proposed  expedition  had  been  carried 
into  effect,  I  presume  that  Mr  Wilson  would  have  been  attached  to 
the  party. 

having  no  papers  to  assist  my  memory  I  can  only  state  the  facts 
according  to  my  best  recollections,  but  I  am  very  certain  that  you  had 
no  agency  or  direction  in  Pikes  expedition  on  the  Arkansa,  and  that 
no  exploring  party  was  sent  up  the  Arkansa  by  your  direction. 

All  this  is  fortified  by  some  additional  bits  of  evidence  which 
are  in  print,  but  which  seem  hitherto  to  have  escaped  notice. 
Coues30  quotes  with  apparent  approval  the  statement  of  Colonel 
Meline,31  that  "  Wilkinson's  bulky  and  diffuse  published  memoirs 
may  be  searched  in  vain  for  any  information  concerning  Pike's 

80  P.  lv. 

81  Two  Thousand  Miles,  p.  313. 


809  Documents 

expedition,  and  his  silence  on  the  subject  is,  to  say  the  least  sugges- 
tive." It  happens,  however,  that  beside  the  ordinary  edition  of 
Wilkinson's  Memoirs  published  in  three  volumes  in  1816,  there  is 
a  special  issue,  a  "  Volume  II."  thinner  than  the  usual  second  volume 
of  the  series;  this  Wilkinson  brought  out  separately,  in  1811,  in 
order  to  make  early  vindication  of  his  conduct  in  the  Burr  episode. 
It  has  a  voluminous  appendix  of  documents,  which  on  hasty  inspec- 
tion might  appear  to  be  no  other  than  those  contained  in  the  pub- 
lished edition  of  1816.  No.  48  of  the  1811  volume,32  however,  was 
not  reprinted,  and  has  apparently  not  been  observed  by  writers.  It 
is  a  letter  of  the  general  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  dated  August  2, 
1806,  and  sent  from  the  cantonment  on  the  Missouri.  The  essen- 
tial portion  follows: 

You  have  under  cover  of  No.  2  a  copy  of  Lieutenant  Pike's  instruc- 
tions, and  of  the  talk  I  have  sent  to  White  Hair  and  the  Grand  Peste,. 
which  may,  I  hope,  prove  satisfactory.  ...  As  it  depends  much  on 
circumstances  what  course  Mr.  Pike  may  take,  I  cannot  decide  whether 
he  will  return  to  this  place,  or  descend  the  Red  River  to  Natchitoches, 
tho'  I  know  his  enterprize  will  lead  him  to  attempt  the  last  route,  and. 
in  such  case  he  will  certainly  be  accompanied  by  a  party  of  I,ya,tan 
chiefs,  whom  I  would  propose  to  send  to  the  seat  of  government  by  sea. 

It  has  been  ascertained  that  no  copy  of  instructions  of  Wilkin- 
son to  Pike  is  on  file  in  the  War  Department.  Those  sent  in  the- 
letter  no.  2  must  therefore  have  been  the  well-known  instructions 
of  June  24,  1806.  We  are  warranted  in  assuming  that  when  Secre- 
tary Dearborn  sent  to  a  committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
his  communication  of  December  7,  1808,  he  followed  the  practice 
of  the  time  by  sending  with  it  the  instructions,  not  retaining  a  copy ; 
and  that  no  other  instructions  were  ever  made  known  to  the  govern- 
ment at  Washington.  Whatever  opinion  we  may  form  as  to  verbal 
instructions  to  Pike  from  his  commanding  officer,  we  may  with 
reasonable  security  regard  the  administration  as  acquitted. 

But  it  is  still  possible  to  adduce  fresh  evidence  as  to  the  instruc- 
tions themselves.  Voluminous  as  are  the  three  volumes  of  Wil- 
kinson's exculpatory  Memoirs,  it  appears  that  he  intended  to  lay 
before  his  patient  countrymen  still  a  fourth  volume ;  for  there  is  in 
existence,  though  apparently  unnoticed  in  any  bibliography  or  other 
book,  a  printed  copy  of  a  proposed  "  Appendix  to  Volume  IV.",  in 

82  Appendix,  pp.  42-45.  This  edition  is  rare.  There  are  two  copies  in  the 
Library  of  Congress.  The  same  document  is  printed  on  pp.  372-378  of  Report* 
of  the  Committee  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  Conduct  of  General  Wilkinson, 
February  26,  1811  (Washington,  1811),  of  which  the  Library  of  Congress  has  a- 
copy,  probably  unique.  Outside  of  these  two  rare  prints  I  have  not  seen  this- 
letter  anywhere. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  810 

which  we  find  a  series  of  "  Interrogatories  proposed  to  Major 
Z.  M.  Pike  ",  with  the  sworn  replies  of  that  officer,  dated  November 
17,  i8o8.33  Among  the  queries  are : 

Q.  7.  Were  you  ever  directly  or  indirectly  engaged  in  any  meditated 
military  expedition,  political  project,  or  agricultural  establishment  with 
Aaron  Burr? 

Q.  8.  Did  any  person  ever  propose  to  you  any  connexion  with  Aaron 
Burr,  or  any  one  of  his  partizans,  for  the  promotion  of  any  object  of 
private  interest,  or  of  a  military  or  political  nature? 

To  the  first  of  these  questions  Pike  replied,  "  No,  never " ;  to 
the  second,  "  No  ".  To  the  ninth  inquiry,  as  to  where  he  received 
the  first  intimation  of  Burr's  treasonable  designs,  he  replied  that  it 
was  at  [near]  Chihuahua,  in  March,  1807,  when  he  read  of  them 
in  the  Mexican  Gazetted  The  eleventh  question  was  as  to  whether 
he  had  had  any  knowledge  that  Wilkinson  was  engaged  in  the  plans 
of  Burr.  We  quote  the  essential  part  of  his  reply  to  this  question : 

The  orders  given  by  general  Wilkinson  to  me  for  both  my  tours  of 
•exploration  are  published  in  the  state  papers,  or  public  documents, 
relative  to  Burr's  trial;  and  were  the  only  ones,  either  written  or 
verbal,  which  I  received  on  the  occasion.  ...  To  the  best  of  my  recol- 
lection, general  Wilkinson  never  mentioned  the  name  of  colonel  Burr 
to  me,  previous  to  my  meeting  him  at  Washington  in  October,  1807; 
except  on  Burr's  halt  at  Massac,  when  on  his  way  down  the  river 
Ohio,  in  June  1805.  He  then  spoke  to  me  of  him  as  the  late  Vice 
President ;  a  man  of  talents ;  and  particularly  of  his  valedictory  address 
to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States. 

As  Pike  has  a  high  reputation  for  veracity,  and  was  here  speak- 
ing under  oath,  this  testimony  is  not  to  be  lightly  disregarded. 

Readers  who  wish  a  general  survey  of  the  whole  course  of  the 
relations  of  Jefferson,  Wilkinson  and  Burr  to  the  various  projects 
of  southwestward  exploration,  cannot  do  better  than  to  consult  a 
publication  of  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  The  Early  Exploration 
of  Louisiana  (Cincinnati,  1906),  by  Dr.  Isaac  J.  Cox,  to  whom  we 
are  indebted  for  several  valuable  suggestions  for  these  introductory 
notes.  ED. 

LIST  OF  THE  PAPERS  TAKEN  FROM  PIKE.     (TRANSLATION.)85 
[Written  in  the  margin-.  First  Secretariat  of  State.     Exterior  De- 
partment.    First   Section.] 

83  Copy,  possibly  unique,  in  the  Library  of  Congress;   pp.    189-193. 

34  See  Account,  p.  235  (Coues,  p.  652). 

85  We  believe  that,  in  view  of  the  character  of  the  document,  it  will  be  at 
least  as  satisfactory  to  give  Professor  Bolton's  accurate  translation  of  this  list 
as  to  print  the  original  Spanish.  Pike  himself  gives  a  version  of  this  inventory 
(app.  to  part  in.,  pp.  80-82;  Coues,  pp.  817-820),  and  comments  on  the  attempt 
made  in  the  appended  certificate  to  represent  his  presentation  of  the  papers  as 
voluntary. 


8 1 1  Documents 

List  of  the  papers  which  the  Lieutenant  of  Infantry  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  Pike,  leaves  at  the  Superior  Government  and  Com- 
mandancy  General  of  the  Internal  Provinces  of  New  Spain,  as  relating 
to  the  Expedition  which  he  has  made  from  San  Luis  de  Yllinosis  to 
the  settlements  of  N.  Mexico,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  Indian 
tribes  and  of  exploring  the  territories  and  rivers  which  lie  between 
them,  which  expedition  he  has  made  at  the  disposition  of  the  govern- 
ment of  these  United  States  and  under  orders  from  General  Wilkinson. 
No.  i.  Letter  from  General  Wilkinson  to  Pike,  dated  June  24,  1806. 

2.  Another  from  the  same  to  Pike,  dated  July  18,  1806. 

3.  Another   from  the  same  to  the  said  officer,  dated  the   iQth  of 
the  same  month. 

4.  Another  from  the  same  to  Pike,  dated  August  6,  1806. 

5.  Letter  from  Lieutenant  Wilkinson  to  his  father,  dated  October  27. 

6.  Another  from  the  same  to  his  father,  dated  the  28th  of  the  said 
month  of  October. 

7.  Letter  from  Pike  to  Gen.  Wilkinson,  dated  July  22,  1806. 

8.  Letter  from  Lieut.  Wilkinson  to  Lieut.  Pike,  dated  October  26. 
1806. 

9.  Proclamation   by   Gen.   Wilkinson,   providing  that   no   citizen   of 
the  United  States  shall  deal  with  the  Indian  tribes  without  his 
permission  or  that  of  the  governor,  dated  July  10,  1805. 

10.  Letter  of  Ch.  Jouett,  Indian  agent,  to  General  Wilkinson,  dated 
July  10,   1806. 

11.  Notes,  by  Lieut.  Pike,  of  his  journey  from  N.  Mexico  to  Chi- 
huahua.    A  cuaderno™  with  4  used  folios. 

12.  Rough   manuscript   draft   or   sketch   of   the   Misuri   and   Osages 
[rivers]. 

13.  Letter  from  Sergeant  Ballinger  to  General  Wilkinson,  undated. 
[This  is  a  mistake.     The  letter  is  dated  October  26,   1806.] 

14.  Letter  from  Lieutenant  Wilkinson  to  Pike,  undated. 

15.  Affidavit  in  French,  of  a  certain  Bautista  Lamie,  found  among 
the  tribes,  concerning  the  reason  for  his  residence  among  them. 

16.  A  sheet  which  contains  notes  in  French,   for  the  harangues  or 
declarations  which  it  was  provided  that  Lieut.  Pike  should  make 
to  the  Indian  tribes. 

17.  Passport  given  by  Lieut.   Pike  to  the  Indian  Wind,   first  chief 
of  the  village  of  the  Little  Osages. 

18.  A  small  rough  drawing,  on  a  torn  sheet,  of  lands  situated  be- 
tween the  Misuri  and  Santa  Fee,  with  information,  acquired  in 
this  villa,  regarding  its  population,  commerce,  etc. 

19.  A  manuscript  book,  octavo,  bound  in  pasteboard,  containing  the 
diary  of  Lieutenant  Pike  from  January,  1807,  to  March  2,  1807, 
when  he  arrived  at  Santa  Fe,  with  75  used  folios. 

89  Cahier,  Heft,  bunch  of  leaves  sewed  together.     The  size,  in  my  judgment; 
is  quarto.     H.  E.  B. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  8 1 2 

20.  A  manuscript  book,  quarto,  bound  in  pasteboard,  containing  copies 
of  official  communications  to  the  Minister  of  War  and  to  Gen. 
Wilkinson,  and  various  observations   relative  to  the  mission  of 
the  said  lieutenant,  etc.,  with  67  used  folios. 

21.  A  manuscript  book,  folio,  bound  in  pasteboard,  containing  various 
rough  maps  of  lands,  rivers,  etc.,  and  the  general  diary,  giving 
directions,    distances    and   observations,    written    during   his    ex- 
plorations and  journey  by  the  said  Lieutenant  Pike,  with  40  used 
folios. 

We,  Don  Francisco  Velasco,  first  official  of  the  Secretariat  of  the 
Commandancy  General  of  the  Internal  Provinces  of  New  Spain,  and 
Don  Juan  Pedro  Walker,  Ensign  of  the  Company  of  Cavalry  of  the 
Royal  Presidio  of  Janos,  certify:  that  when  the  lieutenant  of  American 
infantry,  Mongomeri  Pike,  presented  himself  before  Don  Nemecio 
Salcedo,  the  Senor  Commandant  General  of  the  said  provinces,  he  pre- 
sented also  a  small  chest  which  he  carried.  This  the  said  officer  himself 
opened  in  the  presence  of  those  who  make  this  affidavit,  took  from  it 
various  books  and  papers,  and,  after  separating  with  his  own  hand, 
but  with  our  knowledge,  all  those  which  appeared  to  him  and  were 
said  by  him  to  be  of  private  interest  and  without  any  connection  with 
his  expedition,  delivered  to  the  said  Sr.  Commandant  General  the 
rest,  which  are  solely  those  contained  in  the  foregoing  list  which  we 
have  made.  In  witness  whereof  we  make  this  affidavit  in  Chihuahua, 
April  8,  1807. 

FRANCISCO  VELASCO. 
JUAN  PEDRO  WALKER. 

This  is  a  copy.     Mexico,  November  22,  1827. 

ESPINOZA  (rubric). 

Corrected  (rubric). 

N.°  i.87 

ST.  Louis,  24  June,  1806. 
Sir, 

You  are  to  proceed  without  delay  to  the  Cantonment  on  the  Missouri, 
where  you  are  to  embark  the  late  Osage  Captives,  and  the  Deputation, 
recently  returned  from  Washington,  with  their  presents  and  Baggage; 
and  are  to  transport  the  whole  up  the  Missouri  and  Osage  Rivers  to 
the  Town  of  the  Grand  Osage. 

The  safe  delivery  of  this  charge  at  the  point  of  Destination,  consti- 
tutes the  primary  object  of  your  expedition;  and  therefore  you  are 
to  move  with  such  caution,  as  may  prevent  surprize  from  any  hostile 
Bands  and  are  to  repel  with  your  utmost  force,  any  outrage  which  may 
be  attempted. 

37  In  Pike's  hand,  but  signed  by  J.  A.  Wilkinson  ;  quarto,  4  pp.  Though  these 
instructions  have  been  printed  before  (see  the  introduction),  it  is  thought  best 
to  print  them  here,  that  they  may  be  easily  referred  to  in  connection  with  the 
ensuing  documents. 


8 1 3  Documents 

Having  safely  deposited  your  passengers  and  their  property,  you  are 
to  turn  your  attention  to  the  accomplishment  of  a  permanent  Peace 
between  the  Canzes38  and  Osage  Nations;  for  which  purpose  you  must 
effect  a  meeting  between  the  Head  Chiefs  of  these  Nations:  and  are  to 
employ  such  arguments  deduced  from  their  own  obvious  Interests  as 
well  as  the  inclinations,  desires,  and  commands  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  as  may  facilitate  your  purpose  and  accomplish  the  end. 

A  third  object  of  considerable  magnitude  will  then  claim  your  con- 
sideration; It  is  to  effect  an  Interview,  and  establish  a  good  under- 
standing with  the  Ya,i,tans;  I,etans;  or  Camanchees. 

For  this  purpose  you  must  Interest  White  Hair,  of  the  Grand  Osage,39 
with  whom  and  a  suitable  Deputation  you  will  visit  the  Panis40  republic, 
where  you  may  find  Interpreters;  and  to  inform  yourself  of  the  most 
feasible  plan,  by  which  to  bring  the  Cammanchees  to  a  Conference. 

Should  you  succeed  in  this  attempt  (and  no  pains  must  be  spaired 
to  effect  it)  you  will  endeavour  to  make  peace  between  that  distant 
powerfull  nation,  and  the  nations  which  inhabit  the  country  between  us 
and  them,  particularly  the  Osage;  and  finally  you  will  endeavour  to 
induce  eight  or  ten  of  their  distinguished  Chiefs,  to  make  a  visit  to 
the  seat  of  Government  next  September,  and  you  may  attach  to  this 
deputation  four  or  five  Panis  and  the  same  number  of  Canzes  chiefs. 

As  your  Interview  with  the  Cammanchees  will  probably  lead  you 
to  the  Head  Branches  of  the  Arkansaw  and  Red  Rivers  you  may  find 
yourself  approximated  to  the  settlements  of  New  Mexico,  and  therefore 
it  will  be  necessary  you  should  move  with  great  circumspection,  to  keep 
clear  of  any  Hunting  or  reconnoitring  Parties  from  that  Province,  and 
to  prevent  alarm  or  offence,  because  the  affairs  of  spain  and  the 
United  States  appear  to  be  on  the  point  of  amicable  adjustment,  and 
moreover  it  is  the  desire  of  the  President,  to  cultivate  the  Friendship 
and  Harmonious  Intercourse  of  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth,  and  par- 
ticularly our  near  Neighbours  the  Spaniards.  In  the  course  of  your 
tour,  you  are  to  remark  particularly  upon  the  Geographical  structure, 
the  Natural  History,  and  population,  of  the  country  through  which  you 
may  pass,  taking  particular  care  to  collect  and  preserve  specimens  of 
every  thing  curious  in  the  mineral  or  botanical  Worlds,  which  can  be 
preserved  and  are  portable:  Let  your  courses  be  regulated  by  your 
compass,  and  your  distances  by  your  Watch,  to  be  noted  in  a  field 
Book,  and  I  would  advise  you  when  circumstances  permit,  to  protract 
and  lay  down  in  a  seperate  Book  the  march  of  the  Day  at  every 
evenings  halt. 

The  Instruments  which  I  have  furnished  you  will  enable  you  to 
asscertain  the  Variation  of  the  magnetic  needle  and  the  Lattitude 

38  Kansa. 

39  Their  principal  chief. 

40  Or  Pawnee. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  8 1 4 

with  exactitude,  and  at  every  remarkable  point  I  wish  you  to  employ 
your  Telescope  in  observing  the  eclipses  of  Jupiters  Satillites,  having 
previously  regulated  and  adjusted  your  Watch  by  your  Sextant,  take- 
ing  care  to  note  with  great  niceity  the  periods  of  immersion  and  emer- 
sion of  the  eclipsed  Satellite.  These  observations  may  enable  us  after 
your  return,  by  application  to  the  appropriate  Tables,  to  asscertain  the 
Longitude. — It  is  an  object  of  much  Interests  with  the  Executive,  to 
asscertain  the  Direction,  extent,  and  navagation  of  the  Arkansaw  and 
Red  River's;  as  far  therefore  as  may  be  compatible  with  these  Instruc- 
tions and  practicable  to  the  means  you  may  command,  I  wish  you  to 
carry  your  Views  to  those  Subjects,  and  should  circumstances  con- 
spire to  favour  the  enterprize,  that  you  may  detach  a  party  with  a  few 
Osage  to  descend  the  Arkansaw,  under  the  orders  of  Lt  Wilkinson  or 
Serg4.  Ballenger,  properly  Instructed,  and  equipt,  to  take  the  Courses 
and  distances,  to  remark  on  the  soil,  Timber,  etc.,  and  to  Note  the 
tributary  streams.  This  Party  will,  after  reaching  our  Post  on  the 
Arkensaw,41  descend  to  Fort  Adams42  and  there  wait  further  orders ;  and 
you,  yourself,  may  descend  the  Red  River  accompanied  by  a  party  of 
the  most  respectable  Commanches  to  the  Post  of  Natchitoches  and 
there  receive  further  orders  from  me. 

To  Disburse  you  necessary  expences  and  to  aid  your  negotiations, 
you  are  here  with  furnished  Six  hundred  Dollars  worth  of  Goods, 
for  the  appropriation  of  which,  you  are  to  render  a  strict  account, 
vouched  by  Documents  to  be  attested  by  one  of  your  Party. 

Wishing  you  a  safe  and  successfull  expedition, 

I  am  Sir, 

With  much  Respect  and  Esteem, 
Sir 

Your  ob4  Ser*. 
JA:  WILKINSON  (rubric). 

Lt.  Z.  M.  Pike. 

N.°  2.43 

CANTONMENT44 

MISSOURI 

July  1 8,  06. 
Dear  Sir 

I  have  rec  d.  your  letters  of  yesterday  and  corcerning  yr  Interpreter 
without  date.45  I  had  taken  arrangements  to  secufe  Bennette,  when  he 

41  Now  Arkansas  Post,  Arkansas. 

42  In  S.  W.  Mississippi. 

43  In  Wilkinson's  hand ;  octavo,  2  pp. 

44  Bellefontaine,  Missouri,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  River,  where  in  1805 
Wilkinson  had  founded  an  important  military  establishment,  maintained  till  1825. 

45  Pike  wrote  two  letters  to  Wilkinson  on  July  1 7,  as  is  shown  by  his  narra- 
tive, p.   112    (Coues,  p.  361).     One  he  prints;  the  other  related  to  this  affair  of 
the  interpreter.     Just  as  he  was  about  to  sail   from   St.   Charles,  his  interpreter, 


8 1 5  Documents 

appeared  here  and  I  have  now  become  his  security.  Manual  is  a  Black 
Spaniard.  He  dined  here  yesterday  and  left  here  this  morning  before 
the  arrival  of  your  letter — this  was  well  for  Him. 

I  have  seen  too  much  of  the  World  to  fall  in  love  with  Strangers, 
particularly  men  of  fine  European  and  Asiatic  languages,  found  in  the 
wilds  of  the  Missouri — the  natural  question  is,  how  came  so  many 
accomplishments  and  useful  qualities  buried  alive?  Yet  no  Rule  with- 
out an  exception.  But  still  Henry  can  gain  much  of  you  without  being 
to  contribute  anything — the  association  is  therefore  unequal.  If  I  am 
Cynical  I  have  cause  for  it,  in  the  very  source  of  this  letter,  you  must 
not  credit  your  Red  companions,  for  lying  and  stealing  is  their  occupa- 
tion, when  unemployed  in  the  chase.  They  reed,  powder,  Ball  and  every 
thing  else  from  Mr.  Tillier — he  gave  them  28  Ibs  of  Powder.  I 

shall  dress  Manual  and  Cadet  aussi.  I  will  teach  them  how  to  in- 
terrupt national  movements,  by  their  despicable  Intrigues.  I  wrote  you 
this  morning  by  Hall  of  the  artillery. 

My  Son  has  the  foundation  of  a  good  Constitution  but  it  must  be 
tempered  by  degrees — do  not  push  Him  beyond  his  capacities  in  hard- 
ships to  suddenly.  He  will  I  hope  attempt  any  thing  but  let  the  stuff 
be  hardened  by  degrees.  I  have  nothing  further  to  add  but  my  bless- 
ings and  best  wishes  to  you  all 

JA.  WILKINSON    (rubric). 
Lt  Pike 

N.°  346 

CANTONMENT 

July  19"  1806. 
Dear  Sir, 

I  send  after  you  the  Circumferenter  and  Bark  left  by  Dr.  Robinson." 
I  expect  the  Bearer  may  find  you  at  Charette.  We  have  philadel*. 
Papers  to  the  24th  ult.mo — not  a  word  of  news  from  Europe.  It  is  re- 
ported on  vague  grounds  that  Miranda  has  failed,  and  it  is  suggested 
that  France  and  Spain  will  demand  some  retribution  for  our  Counte- 
nance of  this  attempt,  but  this  is  a  mere  party  ebullition.  I  think  He 
will  succeed  because  the  British  will  aid  Him. 

You  will  see  and  feel  the  I,e,tans  before  you  committ  yourselves  to 
them,  and  you  must  indeed  be  extremely  guarded  with  respect  to  the 

Baronet  Vasquez,  whom  Wilkinson  apparently  calls  "  Bennette  ",  was  maliciously 
arrested  at  the  suit  of  Manuel  de  Lisa,  one  of  the  principal  Indian  traders  of  the 
Missouri,  who  was  interested  to  frustrate  the  expedition.  By  "  Henry  ",  below, 
the  general  means  Mr.  George  Henry.  "  Called  at  Mr.  James  Morrison's  and  was 
introduced  to  a  Mr.  Henry  (of  New  Jersey),  about  eight  and  twenty  years  of 
age :  he  spoke  a  little  Spanish,  and  French  tolerably  well :  he  wished  to  go  with 
me  as  a  volunteer",  and  was  engaged  the  next  day  (Pike,  p.  112). 

49  In  Wilkinson's  hand ;  octavo,  3  pp. 

47  The  circumferentor  for  taking  angles  ;  the  bark  presumably  Peruvian  bark. 
Dr.  John  H.  Robinson  accompanied  the  expedition  as  volunteer  surgeon.  The 
failure  of  Miranda's  expedition  had  occurred  on  April  28. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  8  1  6 

Spaniards  —  neither  alarm  nor  offend  them  unnecessarily,  write  me  as 
long  as  you  can  by  this  Route,  under  cover  to  the  Commanding  officer 
here  and  address  me  at  Fort  Adams.  I  wish  you  would  send  a  Runner 
to  the  osage  from  the  Panis,  after  you  have  taken  your  measures  with 
the  I,e,tans,  and  transmit  me  a  Sketch  of  your  route,  and  of  the  Country 
before  you  agreably  to  your  information.  This  may  be  important  in 
providing  against  a  total  loss  by  misfortune  —  indeed  you  may  send  in 
your  Interpreter  Mongrain  Express,  with  a  letter  of  general  Informa- 
tion to  the  Secy,  of  War,  to  accompany  that  which  I  have  required 
above  for  myself.  You  may  perhaps  be  able  to  guess,  when  I  may  look 
for  you  at  Natchitoche.  Write  this  by  the  return  of  the  express  and 
tell  me  how  you  all  come  on.  be  attentive  in  forming  your  Statistical 
Table  of  the  Population,  to  give  the  names  of  Chiefs  as  well  as 
Nations  and  Tribes,  exactly  after  the  manner  you  have  adopted  with 
the  Secant  and  Sautieurs.48  Farewell,  my  friend,  omit  nothing  to  give 
utility  and  Importance  to  your  tour,  and  the  sooner  you  can  reach 
Natchitoches  the  better,  consistently  with  the  necessary  investigations. 

Your  friend  and  sevt 
Lt  Pike.  JA.  WILKINSON    (rubric). 


ARKANSAW  RIVER 
My  dear  Parent,  27*"  Oct.  06. 

In  a  few  moments  I  enter  by  skin  canoe  to  descend  the  river,  and 
part  with  Mr.  Pike  —  the  prospect  is  not  as  favorable  as  I  would  wish, 
but  as  the  Season  of  the  year  will  admit;  and  I  look  forward  to  a 
pleasant  voyage,  tho  it  may  be  a  tedious  one,  however  I  shall  have  the 
Satisfaction  of  handing  you  a  correct  survey  of  the  Arkansaw  and  its 
waters. 

My  health  is  perfectly  good,  and  my  greatest  care  shall  be  to  pre- 
serve it.  I  may  now  and  then  be  a  little  wet,  but  I  have  a  large  store 
of  thick  winter  cloathing,  and  a  warm  Tent.  My  coffee  and  tea  is 
still  on  hand,  as  are  all  my  herbs  and  medicines,  none  of  which  I  have 
as  yet  used. 

You  must  not  look  for  me  Till  spring,  as  I  am  determined  to  acquire 
information  of  the  country  adjacent  to  the  river. 

Believe  me  your  dutiful  and  affect.   Son 

JAMES    (rubric). 
General  Wilkinson. 

[Addressed:]  General  or  M.s  Wilkinson 
for  Lieut.  Pike.  Natchitoches 

48  The  table  alluded  to  is  that  which  is  inserted  after  p.  66  of  the  appendix 
to  part  i.  in  Pike's  Account.     It  presents  a  variety  of  data  respecting  the  Indian 
tribes  resident  on  the  upper  Mississippi,  among  which  the  Tetons  and  Sauteurs 
or  Leapers  were  two  of  the  most  important. 

49  In  Lieutenant  Wilkinson's  hand  ;  quarto,  i  p.     James  Biddle  Wilkinson,  the 
general's  son,  entered  the  army  in  1801,  became  first  lieutenant  in   1803,  captain- 
in   1808,   and  died  in   1813. 


$  1 7  Documents 

N.°  6.50 

Please  to  ask  Mr.  Pike  for  a  Letter 
I  wrote  him  on  the  27th  relative  to 
the  command 

ARKANSAW  RIVER 
28th  Oct.  06— 

N.  L.  37°  44'  2$"- 
My  Dear  Sir, 

I  am  now  about  undertaking  a  voyage,  perhaps  more  illy  equipd  than 
any  other  Officer,  who  ever  was  on  command,  in  point  of  stores,  amu- 
nition,  Boats  and  men. 

I  have  a  small  skin  canoe,  of  10  feet  in  length,  with  a  wooden  one 
-of  the  same  length  capable  to  carry  one  man  and  his  baggage — not  more 
I  believe.  I  have  5  men,  whose  strength  is  insufficient  to  draw  up  my 
skin  canoe  to  dry — and  which  must  necessarily  spoil.  I  have  no 
•grease  to  pay  the  seams  of  my  canoe,  and  was  obliged  to  use  my 
•candles,  mixd  with  ashes,  for  that  purpose.  My  men  have  no  winter 
cloathing,  and  two  of  them  no  Blankets.  I  must  necessarily  have  the 
men  wading  half  the  day,  as  the  water  opposite  here  is  not  ankle  deep. 
I  shall  pass  the  Republican  pawnees,  the  most  rascally  nation  I  know — 
and  perhaps  meet  with  the  Pawnee  pickees  a  nation  of  whom  I  have 
considerable  apprehension — and  meet  in  the  course  of  6  or  7  weeks  the 
Osages  and  Arkansaws. 

If  I  cannot  proceed  after  I  march  Ten  or  Twelve  days  down,  I 
shall  cross  to  the  Kanses,  or  Osages,  who  hunt  on  the  streams  of  the 
Arkansaw  and  winter  with  them. 

The  river  is  now  full  of  ice,  so  much  so  that  I  dare  not  put  in  my 
canoes — last  night  we  had  a  considerable  fall  of  snow.  I  asked  only 
for  6  men  and  could  not  get  them. 

Believe  me,  that  I  sacredly  write  the  truth,  with  a  coolness  and  de- 
liberation I  never  before  have  done,  and  Believe 

me  Your  sincerely  affectionate,  tho 
Unhappy  Son, 

JAMES  B.  WILKINSON  (rubric). 
'[On  the  back  of  the  letter:] 

Lt.  Pike  will  please  to  give  this  to 

the  Genl.  only 
General  James  Wilkinson, 

Natchitoches 
Por  Lt.  Pike 

N.°  851 

ARKANSAW  RIVER 

Dr  Sir,  26th  Oc'tr  1806. 

Your   instructions   relating  to   my   descent   of   the   Arkansaw,   have 

M  In  Lieutenant  Wilkinson's  hand ;  quarto,  i  p. 
61  In  Lieutenant  Wilkinson's  hand ;  quarto,  3  pp. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  818 

been  perused  with  attention,  and  as  far  as  is  in  my  power  and  the 
means  given  me,  shall  strictly  be  complied  with. 

Before  we  separate  and  perhaps  for  ever,  I  have  taken  the  liberty 
to  propose  a  few  questions,  relative  to  the  Equipment,  and  the  Com- 
mand you  have  given  me.  If  you  should  think  this  a  freedom,  incon- 
sistent with  the  principles  of  Subordination,  or  unprecedented,  you. 
will  please  to  excuse  the  error  and  attribute  it  to  ignorance,  not  to  a 
want  of  respect  for  your  Opinion,  but  to  a  want  of  confidence  in  my 
own. 

i  :st  Whether  do  you  consider  my  strength  sufficient  to  enforce  a 
due  respect  for  our  national  Flag,  from  the  many  nations  of  Savages, 
I  must  necessarily  meet  on  the  voyage — Or 

2.  Whether  if  an  appeal  to  arms  is   requisite  to  repel  an  outrage 
offered,  the  efficient  force  of  the  Command  would  enable  me  to  effect 
it?     I   speak   of  an  outrage  of  a   few, — for   were   many   to   make   the 
attack,  the  consequence  is  obvious.     Or, 

3.  Whether  greater  danger  is  not  to  be  apprehended  from  the  Pawnee- 
Pickets  than  any  other  Nation  of  Savages  in  Louisiana,  not  only  owing 
to  their  intercourse  with  the  Mexicans  proper,  but  to  their  friendship 
for  the  Spaniards,  who  have  regular  Factors  amongst  them,  and  whose 
interest  it  is,  to  keep  us  in  ignorance  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  Salines 
of  the  Arkansaw — and  which  nation  I  must  pass,   and  may  probably 
see — Or 

4.  Whether  greater  danger  is  not  to  be  apprehended  from  the  meet- 
ing with  stragling  bands  of  different  nations,  inimical  to  each  other,  and 
coursing  a  tract  of  country,   through  which   they   always  make   their 
hostile  Sallies,  then  meeting  a  Grand  and  powerful  Nation,  within  its 
own  undisputed  Territory,  and  headed  by  its  Chieftan. 

The  pusilanimity  of  the  Republican  Pawnees  is  so  well  known,  that 
no  confidence  can  be  placed  in  them,  and  should  I  meet  any  of  that 
Nation,  I  shall  calculate  their  purpose  to  be  villanous  and  take  measures* 
accordingly. 

I  am  of  the  Opinion  that  a  traverse  of  the  Arkansaw,  and  a  Geo- 
graphical sketch  of  the  adjacent  country,  is  an  object  of  as  much 
importance  to  our  Executive,  as  one  of  Red  river,  its  confluent  streams 
and  country,  and  at  the  present  moment  perhaps  more  so,  as  Capn. 
Sparks  and  other  Officers  have  ascended  to  its  Source,  or  are  now  mak- 
ing the  Survey.52 

To  comply  with  the  wish,  intention,  spirit  and  letter  of  the  Generals 
order  and  your  own,  I  cannot  hurry  down  the  river,  without  making 
the  required  observations ;  but  the  quantity  of  Public  ammunition  allowed 
me,  renders  it  indispensably  necessary  to  use  every  exertion  to  expe- 

M  The  expedition  under  Thomas  Freeman  and  Captain  Richard  Sparks,  for 
exploring  the  Red  River,  had  on  July  29  been  stopped  by  the  Spaniards  near  the 
Caddo  villages  in  what  is  now  Little  River  County,  Arkansas ;  but  this  was  of 
course  unknown  to  Lieutenant  Wilkinson.  Cf.  Cox,  Early  Exploration  of  Louisi- 
ana, ch.  ix. 


8 1 9  Documents 

dite  my  progress.  If  any  accident  should  happen  to  my  shackling  and 
patched  canoes,  could  I  form  an  other  with  a  common  felling  ax,  and 
hatchet,  so  as  to  take  advantage  of  the  present  rise  of  the  water — and 
what  shelter  would  I  have  to  protect  my  men  from  the  weather,  in  case 
I  should  winter  on  the  river.  You  will  pardon  me  Sir,  when  I  say, 
Justice  would  give  5  men  one  Tent,  in  preference  to  giving  13  men 
three,  when  12  are  allowed  2  only. 

You  will  excuse  me  Sir,  when  I  observe,  that  your  reflections,  when 
at  the  source  of  red  river,  would  be  more  pleasant,  when  you  con- 
sidered, that  by  the  gift  of  a  Broad  ax,  adz  and  drawing  knife  (of  which 
you  have  two  and  more  setts)  you  prevented  a  Friend  and  Brother 
•soldiers  wintering  without  stores  or  anything  comfortable,  altho  you 
might  be  detained  a  few  days  longer,  than  you  would,  had  you  refused 
those  articles.  I  will  conclude  with  observing,  that  if  you  would  add 
Stout™  to  my  command  (who  you  informed  me  is  a  ruff  carpenter)  I 
•should  not  anticipate  the  difficulties  I  now  do,  or  dread  wintering  with- 
out cabbins,  and  should  feel  satisfied  within  my  own  mind  of  the 
possibility  of  effecting  every  thing  required. 

For  the  many  marks  of  Friendship  I  have  experienced  during  our 
march,  receive  Sir  my  most  sincere  thanks,  and  wishes  for  your  happi- 
ness and  prosperity. 

With  Sentiments  of  high  respect,  esteem  and  attachment 
I  remain 

Your  obd.  Ser*. 

Lieut.  Z.  M.  Pike  JAMES  B.  WILKINSON  Lt.  (rubric). 

[On  the  back  of  this  letter  is  the  following:] 

On  the  Inclosed  letter  I  will  only  remark  that  I  furnished  a  Tent, 
Broad  Ax,  Adz  and  Drawing  Knife  and  that  Lt.  Wilkinson  had  with 
him  19  Ib  powder  39  Ib  Lead  and  Ball,  with  4  Doz.  Cartridges,  when 
my  whole  party  had  not  more  than  35  Ib  of  powder,  40  Ib  of  Lead  and 
10  Doz  Cartridges:  also  that  one  of  his  men  was  a  Carpenter  by  pro- 
fession and  another  a  mill  wright.  As  to  His  observations  as  it  re- 
spects the  Indians,  they  require  a  different  Notice. 

PIKE. 

[Address:]   Lieut.  Z.  M.  Pike 
Present. 

N.°  9." 

By   The   Governor  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  in  and  over 
The   Territory  of  Louisiana 

A  PROCLAMATION 
All   persons   are   hereby   prohibited,   ascending   the   Missouri    River 

88  Freegift  Stoute,  private,  was  with  Pike  throughout  the  whole  of  his  ex- 
pedition, from  St.  Louis  to  Natchitoches. 

54  Signed  by  General  Wilkinson,  but  written  by  another ;  quarto,  i  p.  On  the 
back  there  are  a  few  calculations  of  meridional  altitude,  and  other  figuring  In 
(probably)  Pike's  hand-writing. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  820 

into  the  Indian  Country,  or  the  Mississippi  River  above  the  present 
Settlements,  with  intentions  to  enter  any  of  its  Western  branches,  or 
to  trade  with  the  natives  on  its  right  bank,  But  by  permission  under 
my  hand,  as  they  may  desire  to  avoid  the  pains  and  penalties  authorized 
by  a  Law  of  Congress  of  the  30th  of  March  1802,  Intitled  an  Act,  "to 
Regulate  trade  and  Intercourse  with  the  Indian  tribes,  and  to  preserve 
peace  on  the  Frontiers." 

Done  at  S.*  Louis,  this  tenth  day  of  July  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  five. 

JA.  WILKINSON   (rubric). 

N.°  lo.55 

CHICAGO  loth  July  1806 — 
Sir, 

I  have  this  day  been  informed  that  the  same  party  of  Indians  who 
struck  on  the  osages  last  fall,  contemplate  attacking  them  early  this 
season,  the  informant  States  that  they  are  to  set  out  in  the  first  of 
next  month,  headed  by  an  Indian  of  the  name  of  Mionesse.  This  in- 
formation may  enable  your  Excellency  to  circumvent  the  party  or  give 
Such  notice  of  it  to  the  Osages  as  will  put  them  in  a  defensive  Posture. 
The  Potowatomies  are  extremely  troublesome  and  insolent  to  pas- 
sengers and  particularly  this  town  party  who  reside  on  the  Illinois 
near  the  Prairies.  Bancroft 

I  am  very  respectfully, 
Sir  Your  Obed*  Serv.* 

(Signed)     CH.  JOUETT  I.  A. 
Genl.  James  Wilkinson 

[Endorsed:]  From  C.  Jouett  to  Gen.1  Wilkinson 
July  loth,  1806. 

N.°  ii56 
March  3,  1807.     St  Afee.67     Dined  with  th  Gov  etc.  etc.     Escorted 

65  Copy,  in  hand  similar  to  that  of  no.  9;  quarto,  i  p.  .Charles  Jouett  was 
Indian  agent  at  Chicago.  This  letter  was  enclosed  in  no.  4,  Wilkinson  to  Pike, 
August  6,  1806.  In  that  communication,  not  here  reprinted,  Wilkinson  says, 
"  In  consequence  of  the  receipt  of  the  inclosed  letters,  I  have  thought  proper  to 
send  you  an  express,  to  enable  you  to  announce  to  the  Osage  the  designs  of  their 
enemies,  that  they  may  take  seasonable  measures  to  circumvent  them." 

68  In  Pike's  hand,  on  small  rough-edged  sheets  sewn  together ;  7  pp.  This 
paper  may  be  regarded  as  the  raw  material  for  Pike's  printed  narrative  from 
March  4  to  April  i,  Account,  pp.  214-236  (Coues,  pp.  611-655).  The  dates,  from 
March  3  to  March  25  inclusive,  are  one  day  less  than  those  in  the  printed  narrative. 

57  Santa  Fe.  Governor  Alencaster's  report  of  April  i,  1807,  to  Salcedo  con- 
cerning the  finding  and  detention  of  Pike  and  Robinson  was  found  by  Colonel 
James  F.  Meline  in  the  archives  of  New  Mexico,  then  much  more  complete  than 
now,  and  was  printed  in  his  Two  Thousand  Miles  on  Horseback  (New  York, 
1867),  pp.  241-245.  His  English  translation  of  it  is  reprinted  in  Coues's  Pike, 
pp.  xlvi,  xlvii. 


821  Documents 

oute   in   his   coach.     Bad   road;    arrived    at    [blank]™   with    Captn.    D. 
Almansa  and  Bartholemew. 

March  4.  Snowing.  Did  not  march  until  uoc.  Arrived  at  D.  Do- 
mingo.59 m.  Gov.r  etc.  Church  etc. 

5  Mar.     Down  th  R.  D.  N.  pass  th  vill  of  D  Phillips.     The  curate 
etc.  Bridge,  from  th.  to  th  village  of  D.  Deis  where  we  encamped  for 
the  night.60 

6  M.     Pass  a  Cf  not  badly  culd.     Dine  at  Albuquerque  etc.     Met 
the  Doc.r  61  at  a  small  village  where  we  staid  all  night. 

March  7.  Passd  Toussac62  to  th  village  of  Ferdinand  where  we  met 
Lt.  Malgares,  etc.  etc. 

March  8.     To  The  Camp  of  D  M.  the  sound  discipline  of  th  Troops. 

March  9.  To  Sibilletta — regular  and  th  Last  village  before  th  enter 
th  desert.  Much  Talk  of  th  Appaches. 

March  10.     Down  the  River  13  or  14111.     Good  Land. 

M.  ii.  Marched  at  u  oc.  Met  the  Carravan  from  Ler  [or,  Ser.] 
Dis.  32  m. 

12  M.     Continued  our   route   Down  th   river.     Manner   of  posting 
Centinel  etc. 

13  M.     at  looc  Continued  our  route  passed  the  place  where  th  road 
leaves   th    river.     We   continue   to    follow   it.     M.    Juan    Christopher."3 
crossd  to  th  west  side. 

14  Sunday.     28  miles — road  rough  and  stoney. 

15.  Passd  a  large  trail  of  Horses.     The  Militia  of  N.  M. 

16.  Recrossd  the  river  to  the  east  side. 

17.  First  sign  of  the  Appaches  etc.  vegetation  commences. 

18.  Struck    the    main    road   which    we    Had    left   on    r*.      its    Gen1 
Course  S. 

19.  Made  aboute  20  m  prepared  to  enter  Passa8*  tomorrow. 

58  Cienega.  Of  his  companions  the  first  was  Captain  Antonio  d'Almansa, 
who  escorted  him  till  March  8  and  then  gave  him  over  into  the  charge  of  his 
permanent  escort,  Don  Facundo  Malgares  ;  the  second,  Don  Bartolome  Fernandez, 
who  had  brought  him  in  from  his  stockade  to  Santa  Fe. 

88  San  Domingo.  The  details  of  the  things  which  Pike  notes  as  remarkable, 
such  as  the  church  of  this  little  village,  may  be  followed  in  his  printed  narrative, 
as  explained  by  Coues. 

80  Rio  del  Norte  (Rio  Grande)  ;  San  Felipe ;  Sandia. 

61  Dr.  Robinson,*  whose  adventures  since  his  detachment  from  Pike's  party 
on  the  headwaters  of  the  Rio  Grande  may  be  read  in  Pike. 

62Tousac  is  perhaps  Pajarito  ;  Ferdinand  is  San  Fernandez;  Lieutenant  Don 
Facundo  Malgares  had  just  made  a  brilliant  cavalry  expedition  to  the  northward 
visiting  the  Pawnees  and  seeking  for  Pike's  party.  "  D  M."  in  the  next  item 
means  "  Don  Malgares  ". 

63  Monte  del  Fray  Cristobal. 

64  El   Paso ;    not  the  present  town   of   that  name   in   Texas,   but  one   on  the 
opposite  or  Mexican  side  of  the  river,  now  called  Ciudad  Juarez.     The  meaning 
of  the  next  passage  is  that  the  party  put  up  at  the  house  of  Don  Francisco  Garcia, 
a   rich  merchant  and  planter,   while   Don   Pedro   Roderique   Rey  was   lieutenant- 
governor  of  the  place. 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  822 

20.  Arrived  at  Passa,  and  put  up  at  th  H.  of  D.  F.  Garcia.  Lt. 
Com.d  Rey,  prest  L.  Paaso.  remaind  there  until  th  22  when  we  marchd 
to  the  Fort  of  Eleciair65  about  16  m.  lower  Down  on  th  river.  The  In- 
dustry of  the  Inhabitants.  Vinyards,  Canals,  etc.  etc. 

25.  Left  Elecia  and  marched  to  The  Mai  Aukah68  where  we  En- 
campd.     Good  water. 

26.  To  the  Fountain  of  Lothario.67    miserable  water.    We  now  had 
left  the  pro.  of  N.  Mexico  and  entered  that  of  Biscay.     Dissertation  on. 
the  former,  as  to  population  etc.  etc. 

27.  To  the  Fort  of  Carracol.68     Com.  Pedro  Rues  Saramunde. 

28.  To  the  spg  of  Warm  Water,     elegant  situatn  etc.  etc. 

29.  Marchd   30   m   and   encampd   without   water,    windy   and  dis- 
agreeable. 

30.  Marchd   2om.    and   arrivd   at   a   spring   on   th   side   of   the   mt. 
and   Elegant   situ — This    Day   saw    Con.1    cabrie.88    Encampd   at   night 
withoute  wood  or  water. 

31.  M.  early  and  arrived  at  a  spring  at  10  oc.  th  road  to  Senora 
etc.  etc.     arrived  at  Night  at  the  village  Encenelias70  where  we  slept, 
the  Labour  of  the  Criminals  etc.  etc. 

i  Ap.1  Marchd  and  Halted  at  Saus.  the  bands  of  sheep  and  cattle., 
encampd  near  Chiwawa.  [ditto]  at  the  House  calld  the  red  House. 
52  m. 

N.°  13." 
My  General 

I  am  now  at  Arcances  River  in  perfect  Health  and  good  Spirits., 
am  about  to  descend  that  river  with  your  son.  we  shall  find  much 
difficulty  owing  to  the  waters  being  very  Low  but  we  will  pursevere 
and  be  successful.  I  sold  the  articles  I  Rec.d  at  Cold  Water  to  the 
Men  for  about  $170  Dollars.  $93.25  Cents  of  the  acts72  I  have  sent  by 
Lieut  Pike.  If  He  arrives  before  I  doo  and  the  Men  draw  there  pay 
he  will  Receive  the  amt  for  me  and  leave  it  with  you  In  case  he  starts 
before  my  arrival,  the  Men  who  go  with  your  son  I  have  not  sent  on 
the  acts  of,  as  I  shall  be  at  Camp  as  soon  as  they  are.  Mr  Pike  got 
from  me  to  amt  $29.50  cents  which  is  Included  in  James  Draft  on  you.. 
If  Mr  Pike  should  go  on  to  the  States  before  the  men  Receive  there 
pay  I  trust  you  will  Receive  my  act  from  him  and  Draw  the  amt  from 
the  Paymaster  for  me.  I  want  to  make  some  Money  for  you  and  my 

65  Fort  San  Elizario. 
69  Ojo  de  Malayuque. 

67  Ojo  de  Lotario.     From  this  point  the  dates  agree  with  those  in  the  printed 
narrative. 

68  Carrizal.    The  commandant  was  Don  Pedro  Ruiz  Saramende. 

69  Antelopes. 

70  Encinillas.     The  party  arrived  at  Chihuahua  on  April  2. 
n  In  Ballinger's  hand ;  octavo,  i  p. ;  no  punctuation. 

"  Accounts. 


•823  Documents 

self  boath  the  Insuing  spring  and  Summer  by  Trading  Horses,     more  of 
.this  when  I  see  you.     Yrs  truly 

J  BALLINGER 

26th  Octr  1806 
;[Addressed:]  His  Excellency  James  Wilkinson, 

Governor  of  U.  Louissianna 

Natchitoches 
Pav.d  by 
Lieut  Pike 

N.°  I4.73 
Dear  Pike, 

The  indians  were  anxious  to  go  on  the  other  side,  but  when  I  men- 
tioned by  your  order,  that  the  distance  on  this  side  was  not  much 
longer,  and  perhaps  more  safe,  they  [said]  they  would  march  on  this 
side,  they  are  extremely  uneasy  about  the  Sacks,  Kaos  and  poos, 
from  information  given  them  by  some  damd  rascal  or  other,  and  have 
generally  complained  to  me  of  the  Danger.  I  merely  observed  that  all 
Indians  who  meant  to  do  them  wrong  would  have  to  destroy  all  of  us 
Before  they  got  to  them.  I  caught  a  half  i[torn\  Indian  talking  with 
the  chiefs,  and  told  him  if  he  impressed  their  minds  with  the  fear  of 
.any  Indians  who  were  waiting  for  them  on  the  river,  I  would  crop 
his  ears  off  as  close  as  a  hogs  ever  was.  The  chiefs  entreat  to  cross 
the  river  to  talk  to  a  friend  of  theirs  at  St  Charles  —  they  ought  not 
to  talk  unless  in  your  presence,  as  improper  stories  might  be  told  them, 
and  you  know  Bad  birds  are  flying  about. 

Fire  three  Guns  when  you  want  me  to  strike  our  tents  and  join  you. 
A  man  some  hours  since  informed  me  1500  Savages  were  encamped 
higher   [torn].     I  told  him  it  was  a  lie  raised  by  some  damd  rascal. 
Yours  in  heart  and  soul 

JAMES 
'[Addressed:]  Lieutenant  Z.  M.  Pike, 

Vis  a  vis  (rubric). 


personally  came  before  me  Baptiste  Duchouquette  als  Lamie  of  S* 
Louis  Territory  of  Louisiana  and  after  being  sworn  to  the  truth  of  his 
•declaration  made  the  following  Statement,  Viz. 

13  In  Lieutenant  Wilkinson's  hand  ;  small  octavo,  2  pp.  This  letter  must  have 
been  written  about  July  19  or  20,  1806,  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  expedition, 
when  for  a  few  days  Pike  had  detached  Wilkinson  to  proceed  by  land  across  a 
bend  of  the  Missouri. 

74  Signed  by  Pike,  but  written  by  another  ;  quarto,  i  p.  ;  almost  no  punctuation. 
On  arrival  at  the  village  of  the  Grand  Osages,  August  19,  Pike  had  found  there 
a  party  of  'three  men  from  St.  Louis,  headed  by  Jean  Baptiste  Duchouquette, 
usually  called  Baptiste  Lamie,  who  had  been  sent  there  by  Manuel  de  Lisa. 
Pike  sent  Lieutenant  Wilkinson  to  demand  to  see  his  passports,  orT  "'if  he  had 
none,  to  bring  him  to  camp,  which  was  done.  Finding  that  he  could  substantiate 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  824 

je  sertifie  que  je  ne  sui  icy  que  pour  un  Recouvrement  de  quelque 
dette  due  a  Mon  sieur  Lisa  Manuelle  par  des  ChasSeurs  Et  que  Mon- 
sieur Manuel  Dillisa  Et  venue  Mangage  a  la  bitation75  pour  faire  ce 
reCouvrement  a  mon  Retoure  de  la  Nouvelle  orlean  le  20  de  Juillet  Et 
que  j'ai  partie  le  premier  du  Out  pour  venir  icy  avec  un  Canoz  armes 
de  deux  hommes,  lun  se  nome  Joseph  Rives  et  lotre  Calixe  Montardie. 
Nous  ne  portion  que  nos  vivre  nessicaire  pour  le  voyage  Et  deux  lettres 
quatre  Carotte  de  tubac  un  peti  Baril  de  Tafia  pour  le  chef  des  Cheveux 
Blanc.  Et  il  ma  dit  de  faire  dire  par  Noille  Mongrain  quil  a  lait  venir 
sou  bien  peut  de  terns  avec  Bau  Coupe76  de  Marchandisse  avec  M. 
Silveste  Labadie.  un  malheur  inprevue  mais  fait  perdre  tous  Ce  que 
j'an  portai.  En  passon  de  Sour  une  anbaras  je  Nai  puis"  sauver  que 
ma  carabin.  montrouvent  de  pour  vue78  de  tous  les  petis  nessaire  du 
voyage  j'ai  pris  le  partie  daChete  de  Monsieur  Mccellan  une  couverte 
deux  livres  de  poudre  une  chodier  quatre  livre  de  Balle  pour  continuer 
mon  voyage,  que  j'ai  asi  bien  reussi  en  catorze  jour,  Et  la  quinzieme  je 
fus  arette  par  un  officier  que  ma  demandez  mon  pasport.  ne  pouvent  pas 
luis  presenter  je  prete  serment  comme  quoi  tous  ce  que  je  die  est  la 
verite  et  pure  verite.  faite  aux  Camps  du  Lt.  Pike  ce  21  aouts  1806. 

Je  declare  ne  savoire  signer,  je  fait  ma  marque  ordinaire  dune  Croix. 

Marque  de  X  BAPTISTE  LAMIE 

DE  CHEUQUETTE 
Baronay  Vasques 
temoin 

Sworn  to  before  me  at  Camp  Independence  Near  the  Osage  Nation 
21  Aug.*  1806. 

Z.  M.  PIKE,  Lt 
i  US  Reg.1  Infy. 
Duplicate 

Z.  M.  Pike 
[On  reverse  side  of  sheet:] 

Nul  present  dois  etre  Satisfait 

N.°  i679 
Mes  freres, 

Avant  de  vous  parler  moimeme  je  vous  donnerai  une  parole  de  votre 
pere  qui  est  a  S.*  Louis,  qui  est  adresse  aux  cheveux  blancs,  mais  qui 
regarde  beaucoup  a  toute  la  nation  osage. 

nothing  more  criminal  against  him  than  his  having  entered  the  Indian  boundaries 
without  a  passport  (see  no.  9),  Pike  detained  him  long  enough  to  alarm  him, 
then  took  his  deposition,  and  sent  a  copy  of  it  to  St.  Louis  that  the  three  might 
be  prosecuted.  (Pike,  pp.  127,  128,  app.  to  part  n.,  p.  41.)  Noel  Maugrain,  men- 
tioned in  the  deposition,  was  the  resident  interpreter  at  the  Grand  Osage  village. 

75  Est  venu  m'engager  a  1'habitation. 

78  Qu'il  allait  venir  sous  bien  peu  de  temps  avec  beaucoup. 

77  M'a  fait  ...  en  portai.     En  passant  au  dessus  d'un  embarras  je  n'ai  pu. 

78  M'en  trouvant  depourvu. 

79  Signed  by  Pike,  but  written  by  another ;  quarto,  3  pp.     Talk  delivered  by 


825  Documents 

ici  la  parole  du  General.  *  *  * 80 
Mes  freres, 

Vous  voyez  par  la  parole  de  votre  pere  que  je  vous  donne  a  present, 
qu'il   ne   desire   pas   que   vous   restiez   tranquille,    quand   vos    ennemies 
viennent   vous   tuer,   mais   que   vous   soyez   prets   a   detruire   ceux   qui 
veulent  vous  faire  du  mal. 
Mes  freres, 

Pour  cette  raison  Je  suis  d'avis  que  vous  deviez  envoyer  des  espions 
sur  le  Missouri,  et  si  vous  trouvez  que  vos  ennemies  s'approchent,  soyez 
de  bon  coeur,  faites  un  ambuscade  et  detruisez  les. 
Mes  freres, 

Ce  n'est  que  de  se  defendre,  Ce  n'est  pas  daller  aux  villages  de  vos 
ennemies  pour  tuer  leurs  femmes  et  leurs  enfans,  qui  sont  innocens. 
Mes  freres, 

Vous  voyez  par  cette  derniere  parole",  aussi  bien  que  par  le  rachete- 
ment  de  vos  femmes  et  de  vos  enfans  de  la  captivite,  combien  I'amitie 
de  votre  pere  americain  est  sincere. 
Mes  freres, 

Vous  nous  voyez  ici.  nous  avons  etes  envoyes  pour  garder  vos  enfans, 
que  nous  avons  rachete,  jusqu'a  votre  nation.  Nous  1'avons  faits.  Outre 
ceci  J'ai  des  ordres  a  faire  la  paix  entre  votre  nation  et  les  Kans,  qui 
ont  envoyes  dire  a  votre  pere  a  S.1  Louis  qu'ils  desirent  et  qu'ils  sont 
prets  a  faire  la  paix  avec  les  Osages. 
Mes  freres, 

Les   homme   sage   doivent   savoir   que   la   paix   vaut   mieux   que   la 
guerre,  et  si  vous  etiez  en  paix  avec  toutes  les  nations  nous  n'enten- 
drions  pas  la  voix  de  la  douleur  chez  vous  mais  celle  de  la  Joye. 
Mes  freres, 

Pour  reussir  dans  cette  affaire  votre  Grandpere  a  Washington  a 
ordonne  a  votre  pere  a  S.*  Louis,  de  faire  comme  il  lui  semblera  mieux. 
Mes  freres, 

Ainsi  il  m'a  ordonne  de  faire  rencontrer  les  osages  avec  les  Kans, 
pour  fumer  la  pipe  de  la  paix,  pour  mettre  la  casse  tete  dans  la  terre, 
et  pour  etre  comme  la  meme  nation. 
Mes  freres, 

Pour  cette  raison  Je  demande  que  quelques  de  vos  chefs  et  de  vos 
guerriers  m'accompagnent  a  la  republique  des  Panis,   D'ou  J'enverrai 
cherchi  les  Kans. 
Mes  freres, 

Quand  vous  serez  chez  les  panis,  vous  et.  les  Kans  seront  sur  la 

him  on  August  22  (Account,  p.  129)  to  the  Great  and  Little  Osages,  at  his  camp 
between  the  villages  of  the  two. 

80  Evidently  the  talk  which  Wilkinson  enclosed  for  the  purpose  in  his  letter  of 
August  6.  Pike,  app.  to  part  n.,  p.  38  (Coues,  p.  574).  Under  August  7  Pike 
notes,  "  I  employed  myself  part  of  the  day  in  translating  into  French  a  talk 
of  General  Wilkinson  to  the  Cheveux  Blanche" 


Papers  of  Zebulon  M.  Pike  826 

terre  d'une  nation  etranger  [neutre  interlined],  et  Tun  n'  aura  pas  peur 
de  1'autre,  et  par  consequence  la  paix  que  vous  ferez  sera  forte  et  Sincere. 
Mes  freres, 

Vous  pouvez  rencontrez  aussi  quelques  des  Maitons  ou  Comanches,  et 
J'espere  faire  la  paix  entre  eux  et  vous. 
Mes  freres, 

Je  desire  aussi  que  deux  ou  trois  de  vos  guerriers  descendront  la 
riviere  des  Akansas,  avec  une  partie  de  mes  guerriers,  au  village  de  la 
grand  Peste,81  pour  lequel  J'ai  une  parole  de  votre  pere  a  S.*  Louis 
Mes  freres, 

L'on  a  dit  a  votre  pere  a  S.*  Louis  que  les  gentes  du  Grand  peste 
ont  tues  des  frangois,  et  qu'ils  ont  voles  leurs  chevaux. 
Mes  freres, 

La  grand  Peste  et  son  peuple  ne  sont  ils  pas  Osage,  si  ils  le  sont 
porquoi  font-ils  la  guerre  centre  les  enfans  de  votre  Grand  pere. 
Mes  freres, 

Si  la  parole  que  votre  Grand  pere  a  S*  Louis  envoit  par  moi  pour 
la  grand  peste,  et  que  je  desire  etre  accompagne  de  quelques  de  vos 
guerriers,  n'  ouvre  pas  ses  oreilles,  votre  grand  pere  Fabandonera,  et  ne 
veut  plus  que  lui  et  sa  nation  soient  ses  enfans,  mais  souffrira  que  ses 
guerriers  blancs  et  rouges  levent  la  casse  tete  contre  lui. 
Mes  freres, 

Vous  qui  avez  etc  dans  les  etas  unis,  savent  bien  quelle  hospitalite 
vous  avez  eprouve,  et  que  tout  vous  etoit  accorde  ce  que  vous  avez 
souhaite.  Nous  sommes  venus,  apresent  vous  demander  a  nous  accom- 
pagner  pour  retour,  et  Je  vous  demande  des  chevaux  pour  aller  d'ici  chez 
les  panis,  d'ou  quelques  de  vos  guerriers  peuvent  les  ramener  chez  vous 
encore. 
Mes  freres, 

Je  desire  que  quelqu-uns  de  vous  m'accompagneront  pendant  tout 
mon  voyage,   et  vous   ferez   connaissance   avec  les  nations   rouges  qui 
sont  a  1'ouest,  et  vous  verrez  sur  le  Mississippi  d'en  bas  votre  Grand 
pere  de  S*  Louis  qui  vous  recompensera  de  votre  fidelite. 
Mes  freres, 

Je  me  suis  addresse  a  tous  les  deux  villages  comme  s'ils  etaient  le 
meme,  comme  c'est  la  volonte  de  votre  Grand  pere.  il  vous  voit  comme 
la  meme  nation,  fajtes  conseil  ensemble  et  soyez  forts. 

J'ai  parle. 
Mes  freres, 

Nous  aliens  faire  un  long  voyage,  quand  nous  sommes  avec  les  osages, 
nous  nous  croyons  chez  nous,  et  vous  etes  practie  [JUT]  de  la  parte  de 
votre  pere. 

Je  n'ai  pas  apporte  des  dons  pour  vous,  mais  comme  preuve  de  notre 
estime,  Je  vous  donne  jusqu'au  dernier  goutte  de  notre  whiskey,  un  peu 
de  tabac,  et  quelques  choses  pour  garder  en  souvenir  de  cette  journee. 

81  Grande  Peste  was,  apparently,  a  chief  of  those  Osages  who  lived  on  the 
Arkansas  River. 


827  Documents 

N.°  i7.82 

This  is  to  Certify  that  the  Bearrer  (The  Wind)  the  first  chief  of 
the  Little  Osage,  and  the  Indians  who  accompany  him,  are  of  that  nation 
— either  captives  lately  redeemed  or  chiefs  returning  from  the  City  of 
Washington;  and  who  are  immediately  under  the  protection  of  the 
United  States:  I  do  therefore  request  all  persons,  to  give  them  every 
proper  assistance,  and  protection ;  and  not  to  throw  any  let  or  hendrance, 
in  their  Way. 

ST  CHARLES, 
17  July,  1806. 

Z.  M.  PIKE,  Lt.  (rubric). 

N.  B.  They  will  be  met  on  the  River  above  by  the  party  of  troops 
under  my  command,  and  should  they  have  offended  or  Injured,  any 
person  by  application  to  me  they  shall  receive  ample  satisfaction. 

Z.  M.  PIKE. 
[On  back  of  No.  i8.]83 

From  S*  Afee  to  the  two  chief  mountains  the  Spaniards  drive  carts  and 
exchange  necessaries  for  Buffalo  and  dried  meat6,  there  are  three  vil- 
lages between  the  mountains  and  S.  AFee,  all  parallel,  the  popula. 
civilized  Mexicans. — Same  f  1797.  We  left  the  Great  Panis  on  th 
river  platte  with  48  chiefs  and  warriors  to  attend  a  treaty  with  the 
Camanches  (or  letans)  at  the  two  chief  mountains,  the  country  level 
and  without  wood,  except  on  or  near  the  water  courses.  The  surface 
being  covered  with  snow;  in  some  places  neither  wood  nor  water  for 
70  or  80  m.  We  stated  [started]  with  80  and  odd  Horses  and  brought 
back  18.  ii  Indis.  only  held  oute  to  th  end  of  the  Journey.  Th  Prairie 
is  high  and  Dry  with  short  Grass  in  summer. — met  upwards  of  3000 
letans.  They  are  short  wellset  men  all  with  long  Hair.  The  women  are 
close  cropt  and  are  remarkable  ugly  and  felthy.  The  whole  were  on 
Horse  back,  and  are  armed  with  Bows,  arrows,  and  Lances,  their 
Saddles  are  made  of  skin  and  wood  with  woodden  stirrups,  but  they  pro- 
cure some  Bridles  from  the  Spaniards,  they  are  Erratic  raise  no  corn 
and  have  no  fixt  residence,  they  hunt  only  for  Buffaloe  robes,  which  is 
their  only  dress  except  a  Breech  cloute  which  they  procure  from  the 
Spaniards,  tho  many  of  the  men  are  quite  Naked.  The  women  are 
covered  with  a  Buffaloe  robe  tyed  round  their  necks. 

82 In  Pike's  hand;  octavo,  i  p.    The  Wind's  native  name  was  Tuttasuggy. 
83  These  notes  are  in  Pike's  hand. 


